04/14/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Holmer commended Ms. McDonald and the Sign Code Board of Appeals for the action they took. However, he said the appeal should be sustained because a denial would create a hardship. Mr. Rutan said an unreasonable and unusual cost will be incurred if the dealer must purchase another sign to identify the franchise recently purchased. He said no other location can be compared to the Centennial Loop area, and an exceptional and unusual circumstance has been created because the other busi- nesses on Centennial Loop are offices. He said the sign code should be uniformly enforced, but there are exceptions to it. He said approval of the request will have little effect on surrounding businesses because the new sign will be incorporated into the framework of the existing sign. He said denial of the request will put an additional burden on the dealership. He urged other councilors to uphold the appeal. Ms. Ehrman said she is concerned about the precedent approval of the appeal will set, and approval probably will result in other similar requests. She said the hardship indicated is that the dealer will be unable to use a sign in a specific way, but the sign could be hung inside the building where people going by could see it. She said people look up the location of automobile dealers in the telephone book, and the kinds of cars sold by Centennial Imports probably are listed there. Ms. Schue agreed with Ms. Ehrman. Ms. Schue said rules should be followed. She did not think a valid hardship had been demonstrated. She wondered what the council will decide when the Williams-Wilson dealer asks for a variance from the Sign Code if the Centennial Imports request is approved. She said Centennial Imports sells specialized products and is not in a very visible location. Apparently, the owner expects customers to seek out the dealer- ship. She will vote to deny the appeal. Mr. Hansen moved, seconded by Ms. Ehrman, to uphold the appeal of the Sign Code Board of Appealsl denial of a sign variance for Centennial Imports, Inc. Roll call vote; the motion carried, 5:3, with Councilors Hansen, Holmer, Rutan, Miller, and Bascom voting aye and Councilors Schue, Wooten, and Ehrman voting nay. Mayor Obie said the council action permits a Sign Code variance to be granted to Centennial Imports, Inc. D. Spay/Neuter Clinic Surgery Fees Adjustment (memo, background information distributed) City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced consideration of an adjustment to Spay/Neuter Clinic Surgery Fees. City Recorder Karen Goldman gave the staff report. She said Spay/Neuter Clinic officials would like to raise surgery fees for dogs and cats and base the fees for dogs on the weight of the dogs. She said other clinics base fees on weight. She said surgery costs at the clinic have not been increased since 1980 even though associated costs have increased. She said more surgery supplies and more surgeon's time are needed to operate on heavy dogs than are needed for small dogs. She said the Clinic will recover more surgery costs with the new fees, but it will remain a low- e cost facility. e e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 14,1986 Page 12