Review of Sign Regulations City Council Sign Ordinance Workshop October 20, PDF Free Download

Review of Sign Regulations City Council Sign Ordinance Workshop October 20, 2011

Order of Presentation I. Corridors and Centers II. Non-Conforming Signs III. Specific Types of Signs IV. Withdrawn Discussion Points V. Code Enforcement VI. Next Steps

COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS I. Corridors and Centers

I. Corridors and Centers RESIDENTIAL / OFFICE CORRIDORS

RETAIL CENTERS I. Corridors and Centers

DESIGN STANDARDS I. Corridors and Centers Signs shall compliment design of the buildings, using same materials, colors, finishes and details; In addition to color, signs shall incorporate at least one (1) additional element to reflect design of building; The base of free-standing signs shall be landscaped.

II. Non-Conforming Signs NON-CONFORMING SIGNS A sign shall not be erected, raised, moved, placed, reconstructed, extended, enlarged or altered, unless in conformity with this sign code. Non-conforming signs may be maintained or repaired; however, if a non-conforming sign is relocated or replaced, or structurally altered by more than 25 percent of the replacement cost of the sign, the sign shall be made to conform.

II. Non-Conforming Signs NON-CONFORMING SIGNS (cont.) If an existing building or structure is demolished for redevelopment, any existing, non-conforming, freestanding on-premise sign shall be considered abandoned and shall be removed at the time of demolition. If a non-conforming, free-standing, on-premise sign is abandoned for six (6) months or more, such sign shall be removed.

II. Non-Conforming Signs

II. Non-Conforming Signs CONSIDERATION TO AMEND REGULATIONS Staff recommends consideration of following amendments: Make repair threshold cumulative for all repairs; Prohibit EMCs and changeable copy from being added to non-conforming signs (policy currently in place prohibiting this activity); Prohibit any increase in illumination; Prohibit structural improvements;

II. Non-Conforming Signs CONSIDERATION TO AMEND REGULATIONS (cont.) Require sign compliance with improvements to building or site over 50 percent of assessed value; Clarify abandoned sign language.

III. Specific Types of Signs

III. Specific Types of Signs INDIVIDUALS HOLDING and/or DRESSED AS SIGNS Signs are permitted and exempt from permit requirements; Provision allows non-commercial & commercial messages; Commercial messages have First Amendment protections. Regulation will be found constitutional if: o o o Asserted government interest is substantial; Regulation directly advances government interest involved; and Regulation is no more extensive than necessary to serve government interest.

III. Specific Types of Signs INDIVIDUALS HOLDING and/or DRESSED AS SIGNS (cont.) Clearwater and Pinellas Park currently prohibit these signs; City Council could prohibit or limit signs: Human signs prohibited; Human signs allowed with a permit Human signs allowed without a permit but with time, place and manner restrictions.

III. Specific Types of Signs INDIVIDUALS HOLDING and/or DRESSED AS SIGNS (cont.) If City Council wishes to prohibit, staff recommends: o o Collecting evidence of the traffic safety problems; Narrowly tailored to remedy problems and harms.

III. Specific Types of Signs

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) 2005 revision allowed EMCs in all non-residential districts: o o Decreased minimum dwell time (15 min. to 6 sec.); Maximum area allowed: Max. area to 24 square feet; Max. % of total sign area increased (25% to 50%). o Established design criteria.

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) 2007 LDR text amendment: o Increased square footage from 24 to 32 square feet. Estimates 53 EMCs in city inc. time and temperature; 2010: 34 code citations for EMCs; 2011: 11 code citations for EMC s; Staff has provided attachments comparing St. Pete regulations with other jurisdictions.

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Findings of interest: St. Pete and Pinellas Co. are the only jurisdictions reviewed that limit size of EMCs as less than allowable sign area; New Smyrna Beach was the only jurisdiction reviewed which has a separate requirement and a measureable standard for brightness;

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Findings of interest (cont.): Limit to specific roadways or districts: o New Smyrna Beach prohibits facing single-family or within 200 of historic districts. Few jurisdictions have design criteria;

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Findings of interest (cont.): Dwell Time: o o St. Pete and Hills. Co. have the shortest duration time at six (6) seconds; New Smyrna Beach appears to have no requirement so messages can constantly change; o Times ranged from eight (8) seconds to five (5) minutes.

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Findings of interest (cont.): Of all jurisdictions reviewed, St. Pete is the only jurisdiction which requires text only; Clearwater and Gainesville prohibit EMCs: o Clearwater allows EMCs on public property (Brighthouse Field and Ruth Eckerd Hall).

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Staff recommends consideration of following amendments: Prohibit EMC s city-wide, except Performing Arts Venues; Prohibit in Traditional and Downtown zoning districts, except for Performing Arts Venue uses; Reduce size below 32 square feet; Introduce a measurable brightness standard;

III. Specific Types of Signs ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS (EMCs) (cont.) Require a longer message duration; Require that EMCs cannot face single-family; Permit static images along with text; Clarify existing policy, which prohibits EMCs from being added to existing non-conforming signs; Increase fines for EMC code violations.

III. Specific Types of Signs

HISTORIC SIGNS III. Specific Types of Signs Preserving historic signs: The city does not have a specific process for the preservation of historic signs; Staff shall create an inventory of existing signs that may have historic value; and Staff shall research how other jurisdictions regulate historic sign preservation.

III. Specific Types of Signs HISTORIC SIGNS (cont.) Components of historic sign preservation: Definition of historic sign; Restoration; Relocation; Removal; Replication.

III. Specific Types of Signs HISTORIC SIGNS (cont.) Models for historic sign ordinance: Variance Process City-Wide Overlay Zone Flagstaff, Arizona Historic / Landmark Inventory List Orlando, Florida Corridor-Specific Overlay Distirct Portland, Oregon

III. Specific Types of Signs HISTORIC SIGNS (cont.)

III. Specific Types of Signs ABANDONED SIGNS Clarify abandoned sign code language; Abandoned legal and conforming signs; Abandoned legal and non-conforming signs.

IV. WITHDRAWN DISCUSSION POINTS Per the August 25, PS&I meeting, the following issues were discussed, satisfactorily addressed and affectively withdrawn form further consideration Clearwater v. St. Pete sign regulations; Amortization of non-conforming signs; Neighborhood Association meeting signs in the R-O-W; Modifications to A-frame sign regulations.

V. Code Enforcement MECHANISMS FOR ENFORCEMENT: Code Enforcement and Board Proceedings: Code Enforcement Board; Notification, time to cure, hearing schedule; Notification, no time to cure, hearing schedule; Hearing. Municipal Ordinance Violation (MOV s)

V. Code Enforcement DEPARTMENT DATA & CURRENT ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS: The efforts of the department have successfully decreased the number of sign violations occurring in the city; The number of snipe signs in the city has decreased; Staff is working evenings and weekends to cite sign violations; Current number of violation cases for EMC s is 11; Current number of violation cases for abandonment is 20.

VI. Next Steps 1. Achieve City Council consensus on issues that should move forward for consideration; 2. Achieve City Council consensus to the degree possible of specific amendment language for each issue; 3. Disseminate a package of draft amendments to stakeholder groups for review;

VI. Next Steps 4. Outreach to interested stakeholder groups (Chamber of Commerce, C.O.N.A., sign companies, etc.); 5. Provide summary of outreach efforts; 6. Achieve consensus on final amendment package; and 7. Initiate formal adoption process, including Development Review Commission and City Council Public Hearings.