MINUTES OF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING

September 14, 2006            

A meeting of the Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission was held at Westminster City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, on the evening of September 14, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.  Chairperson Bair; Members Albert, Beaver, and Palmer; Manager of Planning and Development Davis; Assistant Town Planner Fisher; County Planner Graf; and members of the public were present.

The minutes of the July 13, 2006 meeting were approved as presented on motion of Mrs. Albert.

Mr. Fisher presented Sign Permit No. 1180 – Heritage Dodge of Westminster.  The applicant seeks approval of replacement signage on the front façade of the car dealership.  Mr. Fisher stated that the new signage would total 88 square feet, representing a 12 square-foot reduction from the current conditions.  The Commission approved the sign permit on the motion of Mr. Beaver.

Mr. Fisher presented Sign Permit Nos. 1182 and 1188 – 140 Village Shopping Center.  If approved, Permit No. 1182 would allow for the replacement of several building-mounted tenant signs throughout the shopping center.  Mr. Fisher stated that the new signs meet the requirements of the zone and would provide a more unified appearance.  Under the second permit, the applicant seeks to replace the existing 100 square foot Cactus Willie’s pylon sign with a 200 square foot pylon sign in the same location.  Mr. Nathan Raider, a representative of the applicant, stated that additional tenants would be listed on the new pylon.  Most of these tenants have agreed to remove their building-mounted signage in exchange for inclusion on the pylon.  Mr. Raider noted that the total amount of signage on the site would be reduced from 225 square feet to 200 square feet under the proposal.  In response to questions from Ms. Bair, Mr. Raider stated that the heights of the old and new pylon signs would be identical and that a manual letterboard would be used for changeable copy.  The Commission approved Sign Permit Nos. 1182 and 1188 on motion of Mrs. Palmer.

Mr. Fisher presented the Site Plan for an addition to MJO Enterprises at the Carroll County Air Business Center.  Mr. Fisher stated that the 11,600 square-foot addition would be located between the existing building and the right-of-way for MD 97.  The parking lot would also be extended to the east.  Mr. Fisher noted the addition of sidewalk along the property’s Business Parkway South frontage and the planting of a substantial landscape buffer between the addition and MD 97.  Mr. Randy Petkus of BPR, Inc., the consultant for the project, represented that the materials used to construct the addition would match the existing building.  On the motion of Mrs. Palmer, the Commission approved the Site Plan for MJO Enterprises, contingent upon the satisfaction of all outstanding agency review comments.

Mr. Davis presented a resolution that would amend the 2004 Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the management plan for the recently-approved Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area.  Mr. Davis recounted that the Commission had previously issued a favorable recommendation on this issue in accordance with the approval process required by the State.  Mrs. Albert expressed her support for the resolution, citing a number of benefits that the Heritage Area would bring to the City.  In response to a question from Mrs. Albert, Mr. Davis and Mr. Graf summarized the transition from application to implementation for the Heritage Area.  The Commission then adopted the resolution on the motion of Mrs. Albert.

Mr. Graf updated the Commission on Greenvale Mews and Camelot Plaza, two residential developments outside of the city limits.

Ms. Bair requested that staff review a reader-board sign for compliance with the City Code.  She also inquired about the approval status of an awning on a local business.

Mr. Davis updated the Commission on the status of improvements to MD 97 and invited interested Commission members to volunteer for a vacant seat on the City’s Tree Commission.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m. on motion of Mrs. Palmer.

Respectfully Submitted,

Erik N. Fisher
Secretary to the Planning and Zoning Commission