Minnetonka staff recommends denying Hopkins High School scoreboard variance
City planners recommended rejecting Hopkins High School's request to build a scoreboard that exceeds local height and size limits, citing concerns about impacts on nearby residential neighborhoods.
Riley Rooney, a city planner, presented staff's recommendation to deny a variance application that would allow Hopkins High School to construct a 41.5-foot-tall scoreboard with a graphic area of 1,034 square feet at the school's stadium.
The proposed scoreboard violates Minnetonka's code requirements for residential districts, which cap sign height at 35 feet and graphic area at 1,000 square feet. According to staff, the larger scoreboard would be visibly obtrusive and increase light pollution affecting homes near the school.
"The proposal is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan as the proposed scoreboard would impact the existing residential neighborhood by increasing the light while introducing a structure that is visibly obtrusive to nearby homes," Rooney said.
Staff also found that Hopkins Public Schools could reasonably build a new scoreboard that meets existing code requirements, meaning there is no practical difficulty justifying an exception. The school's requests for signage on a ticketing booth and concession stand did not require variances and were not part of the denial recommendation.
The planning commission was recommended to adopt a resolution denying the variance application. The meeting document does not indicate whether the commission voted on the recommendation or what the final outcome was.
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Votes (1)
Hopkins High School Scoreboard Height and Copy/Graphic Area Variance Application
Riley Rooney, a planner for the city of Minnetonka, presented staff's recommendation to deny the variance application for a new scoreboard at Hopkins High School. The proposed scoreboard, at 41.5 ft tall and 1034 sq ft in copy/graphic area, exceeds the maximum allowed 35 ft height and 1000 sq ft aggregate graphic area in residential districts. Staff found the proposal inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, noting increased visual and light impact on adjacent residential properties, and concluded there was no practical difficulty in meeting existing code requirements. The proposal for ticketing booth and concession stand signage did not require variances.
Notable Quotes (3)
staff recommends that the planning commission adopt the resolution denying the height and copy and graphic area variance for the scoreboard at Hopkins High School.
The proposal is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan as the proposed scoreboard would impact the existing residential neighborhood by increasing the light while introducing by increasing light and introducing a structure that is visibly obtrusive to nearby homes.
staff found that there is not a practical difficulty in meeting the city code requirements as a new larger scoreboard could be reasonably constructed and still meet the maximum height and size requirements.
Ordinances & Resolutions (4)
The planning commission is recommended to adopt a resolution denying the variance.
Standards for sign height (max 35 ft) and copy/graphic area (max 500 sq ft per face, 1000 sq ft aggregate) which the proposal violates.
A planning document with which the staff found the proposal inconsistent due to increased visual and light impact on residential neighborhoods.
The specific request made by Hopkins Public Schools for exceptions to city code for a new scoreboard.
Source document
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