Planning commission denies Hopkins High School scoreboard variance, citing neighborhood impact

The Minnetonka Planning Commission voted 5'to'2 on Feb. 19 to adopt staff's recommendation and deny a height and copy/graphic-area variance for a proposed scoreboard at Hopkins High School.

The commission's decision followed a staff report that the proposed south'facing scoreboard would exceed the city's sign standards and "result in a greater visual impact to adjacent residential properties." Staff said the sign would exceed Minnetonka's maximum 35'foot height limit and the 1,000'square'foot copy and graphic area allowed by code; the applicant proposed a sign roughly 41.5'feet tall and about 1,134'square'feet in area, according to materials and testimony presented to the commission. Staff also concluded there was not a demonstrated "practical difficulty" unique to the property that would justify a variance.

Why it matters: Commissioners cited neighborhood quality and precedent among their reasons for denial. The sign would face a mix of residential properties and school facilities; at least one nearby resident told the commission the existing scoreboard already affects daily life and raised concerns about sound and visual intrusion.

Applicant and technical testimony: Neil Tessier, a consultant who identified himself as working for the school district and Safe Engineering, described sightlines and screening from stadium structures and trees and said the video portion is intended primarily for varsity events. Tessier told the commission the sign's LED panel can be dimmed: "the max intensity with the LED systems ... is about 8,000 NIT ... but it has the ability to drop all the way down to 2,000 NIT units," and said the video portion would be used sparingly, mainly for varsity-level games and replays.

Public comment and contested points: Neighbor Steve Thompson told the commission he can see the back of the existing scoreboard from his home and that loud game audio has been a persistent nuisance: "I cannot sit on my deck. I cannot leave my patio door open in the fall when there are games going on. I am locked into my house on nice days," he said. Staff and the applicant confirmed the current variance application does not include changes to the sound system; commissioners noted sound concerns as a separate operational issue not before them for this variance.

Commission debate and outcome: Commissioners were divided. Those supporting denial said the application failed to meet the ordinance findings on intent, consistency with the comprehensive plan, and practical difficulty and warned about setting a precedent for larger sports signage in residential areas. Commissioners supporting the applicant urged design tweaks (removing or reducing decorative elements, lowering the sign or reshaping the non'illuminated areas) and noted the video panel and nighttime use would be limited. Commissioner Brink moved to adopt the staff recommendation to deny; Commissioner Johnson seconded. The vote tally was: Johnson, Sheer, Waterman, Brink and Chair Maxwell'yes; Minion and Banks'no.

What happens next: The denial is final unless appealed; staff noted any appeal must be filed with city staff within 10 days of the meeting. Commissioners and staff repeatedly encouraged the applicant to revise the design to better fit the code (reduce ornamental height or adjust graphic area) and reapply if the district chooses.

Context: Staff noted Minnetonka High School's scoreboard, installed with a permit in 2022, met code or was not visible offsite under Minnetonka's sign rules; staff said that different siting and visibility contexts can change whether a scoreboard requires a variance. The concession-stand signage shown on the project materials does not require a variance and staff said their recommendation applied only to the stadium scoreboard.