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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Resolution 2014-06 04/08/2014RESOLUTION NO. 2014-06 CITY OF PETALUMA PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL AMEND THE TEXT OF CHAPTER 20, SECTIONS 20.020, 20.050, 20.140, AND 20.150, OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA IMPLEMENTING ZONING ORDINANCE REGULATING FREEWAY ORIENTED SIGNAGE WHEREAS, Section 25.010 of the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance provides in pertinent part that no amendment shall be made to the Implementing Zoning Ordinance unless the Planning Commission and City Council find the amendment to be in conformity with the General Plan; and, WHEREAS, on May 7, 2012 the Petaluma City Council directed staff to modify Chapter 20 (signs and sign structures), Sections 20.020, 20.140, and 20.150, of the Implementing Zoning Ordinance to allow for freeway oriented signs as part of a master sign program for shopping centers with freeway frontage; and, WHEREAS, on May 31, 2012 a public notice of the June 12, 2012 public hearing before the Planning Commission was mailed to all property owners and residents within 500 feet of Plaza North, Plaza South, East Washington Place, and Deer Creek Village, and a notice of the June 12, 2012 public hearing before the Planning Commission was published in an one-eighth page notice in the Argus -Courier on May 31, 2012; and, WHEREAS, on June 12, 2012 the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing in accordance with the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Section 24.010 and unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2012-06 recommending that the City Council not adopt said text amendments and modifications to the text of Chapter 20; and, WHEREAS, a public notice of the July 2, 2012 public hearing before the City Council was mailed to all property owners and residents within 500 feet of Plaza North, Plaza South, East Washington Place, and Deer Creek Village, and a notice of the June 12, 2012 public hearing before the Planning Commission was published in an one-eighth page notice in the Argus - Courier, and, WHEREAS, on July 2, 2012 the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing in accordance with the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Section 24.010 and the motion to approve said text amendments and modifications to the text of Chapter 20 resulted in a tie vote (3-3) and therefore the motion died; and, WHEREAS, on April 15, 2013 Merlone Geier submitted a written request to the City Council to reconsider the text amendments to allow freeway oriented signs as part of a master sign program for shopping centers with Highway 101 frontage; and, WHEREAS, at their duly noticed meeting on June 17, 2013, the City Council directed staff to return to the Planning Commission with the proposed text amendments and modifications to Chapter 20 and any necessary changes to address the Planning Commission's previous comments; and, WHEREAS, on September 12, 2013 a public notice of the September 24, 2013 public hearing before the Planning Commission was mailed to all property owners and residents within Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 1 500 feet of Plaza North, Plaza South, East Washington Place, and Deer Creek Village, and a notice of the June 12, 2012 public hearing before the Planning Commission was published in an one-eighth page notice in the Argus -Courier on September 12, 2013; and, WHEREAS, on September 24, 2013 the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing in accordance with the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Section 24.010 and directed Staff to look at how other jurisdictions regulate freeway oriented signs and consider more restrictions within the zoning code leaving less subjective evaluation in the SPAR process for the individual master sign programs; and, WHEREAS, on February 11, 2014 the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing in accordance with the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Section 24.010, and considered the results of the research of other jurisdiction's sign codes, including sketches and photographic illustrations of sign design components; and, WHEREAS, on April 8, 2014 the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing in accordance with the City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Section 24.010, and notice was mailed to all property owners and residents within 500 feet of Plaza North, Plaza South, East Washington Place, and Deer Creek Village and published in an one-eighth page notice in the Argus -Courier on March 27, 2014. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission hereby finds that the proposed amendments to the City's Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 20, Sections, 20.020, 20.050, 20.140, and 20.150, contained in this Resolution are in general conformity with the Petaluma General Plan 2025 and further finds that: The proposed text amendments are consistent with the purpose of Chapter 20 which is to protect public health, safety, and general welfare of the City by ensuring that the number, type, size, and design of all signs in Petaluma will not detract from the attractiveness and orderliness of the City's appearance and to protect the general welfare of the merchants and property owners in Petaluma by avoiding wasteful and costly competition among sign users which can result from the uncontrolled use of signs; and The proposed text amendments would allow freeway oriented wall signs for retail shopping centers with freeway frontage through approval of a Master Sign Program at the discretion of the Planning Commission. The Master Sign Program can provide for flexibility in design in order to achieve a cohesive master sign program unique to the project site and in keeping with the intent of the Sign Ordinance and the Site Plan and Architectural Review standards. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following proposed amendments to the Implementing Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 20, Sections 20.020, 20,050, 20.140, and 20.150 (in bold), are hereby recommended to the Petaluma City Council for consideration and adoption in accordance with Section 25.060 of the Implementing Zoning Ordinance. IZO Chapter 20 Section 20.020 - Definitions. C. Cabinet Sign. Internally Illuminated. A box sign regular in shape with a single transparent or translucent material such as a Plexiglas / lexan face mounted on the fagade of a building or freestanding, and that provides for internal illumination within the box. J. Freeway -oriented sign. Any sign mounted to the primary wall(s) or facade of a building Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 2 facing the freeway with no other building located in the visibility window between the subject building and the freeway. This excludes building facades on frontage roads adjacent to the freeway. K. Individual letters. A type of sign construction where individual letters or images are cut out into separate shapes. L. Individually illuminated letters. Individual letters either internally illuminated or backlighted solid letters (reverse channel). Q. Master Sign Program. A master sign program is a comprehensive sign program for approval of all signs in a multi -tenant shopping center, retail center, commercial or industrial complex or other use stipulating size, design, criteria, and location. A Master Sign Program is processed as a Site Plan and Architectural Review application at the discretion of the Planning Commission and when found consistent with requirements in Section 24.010.G. When a unique, cohesive approach to project signage is warranted, some flexibility in design requirements may be approved by the Planning Commission if it is found that the master sign program is in conformance with the purposes stated in Section 20.010. W. Raceway. An aluminum junction box containing wiring and conduit that is mounted in one piece to the wall or building. X. Reverse Channel Lit / Halo letters. Individually illuminated (LED) letters installed directly on a wall emitting light from the channel in back of the letter onto the wall giving it a "Halo" effect. Shopping center. Any combination of five (5) or more separately owned and operated retail businesses on a single or commonly owned or leased parcel of land, or a commercial use of commercial complex occupying and operated as a single site of at least two (2) acres. An existing building situated on a single parcel of land which is converted into separate retail businesses is not for the purpose of this section defined as a shopping center. Z. Sign. Any writing, pictorial representation, symbol, banner, or any other figure of similar character of whatever material which is used to identify, announce, direct attention to or advertise or communicate, which is placed on the ground, on any bush, tree, rock, wall, post, fence, building, structure, vehicle or on any place whatsoever and which is visible from outside a building. The term "placed" shall include constructing, erecting, posting, painting, printing, tacking, nailing, gluing, sticking, carving, stringing, or otherwise fastening, affixing, or making visible in any manner whatsoever. AA. Window sign. Any sign placed on, or inside an exterior window. This shall include but not be limited to: decals, stickers, reader boards, neon tubing signs, signs painted directly on the glass surface, and signs made of wood, plastic, metal, composite materials, paper, or cardboard. Excludes banners and pennants. Section 20.050 - Signs in Commercial, Mixed Use, Business Park and Industrial Districts A. Permitted Sign Types. No sign, outdoor advertising structure, or display of any character shall be permitted in a C, MU, BP, or I District except the following: 5. Wall signs. No more than two (2) wall signs for each primary building face (no building shall be deemed to have more than four [4] primary building faces), not exceeding a thickness of ten (10) inches, including any light box or other structural part, in all C, MU, BP or I Districts. Refer to section 20.140 for Freeway Oriented Sign Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 3 standards. B. Permitted Area of Signing. For all C (Commercial), MU (Mixed Use), BP (Business Park), and I (Industrial) zoning districts exclusive of shopping centers, the maximum permitted area of signing for any occupant shall be the following: One (1) square foot of sign area for every ground level linear foot of building frontage; or in the case of buildings with multiple building frontages, one (1) square foot of sign area for every ground level linear foot of the longest building frontage plus one-half (1 /2) square foot of signing for every linear foot of additional frontage, where no building exists the maximum allowable sign area shall be derived from the allowable building envelope (area exclusive of setback), not to exceed the maximum stated in Subsection 3 below. 20.140 - Freeway Oriented Signs A. Procedure for Permit to Erect Freeway Oriented Signs. A permit shall not be issued to erect, construct or relocate any sign, billboard or other advertising structure, regardless of location, unless the Zoning Administrator shall have first determined that such sign, billboard or other advertising structure is designed to have the advertising thereon maintained primarily to be viewed from the main traveled roadway of a freeway or the ingress or egress ramps of the freeway except in the case of freeway oriented wall signs approved as part of a master sign program for a retail shopping center with Highway 101 building frontage. For purposes of this section, building frontage includes the primary wall(s) or facade of a building facing the freeway with no other building in the visibility window between the subject building and the highway. This provision excludes building facades on frontage roads adjacent to the freeway. B. Master Sign Program. Freeway oriented wall signs may be considered by the Planning Commission as part of a master sign program for a retail shopping center, as defined in Section 20.020.Q, with direct freeway frontage, in accordance with subsections 20.140.0 and 20.140.D. The master sign program shall address material, size, color, lighting, attachment, and placement. The Planning Commission shall consider if the master sign program meets the Site Plan and Architectural Review (SPAR) standards contained in Subsection 24.010.G, and make the additional findings contained in subsection 20.140.D below. C. Determination and Appeal. Except as part of a master sign program for a retail shopping center with freeway frontage pursuant to this Section, every application for a permit to erect, construct, or relocate a sign, billboard or other advertising structure within five hundred feet of a main traveled roadway of a freeway, shall be considered by the Zoning Administrator, and the Administrator shall determine whether the proposed sign, billboard or other advertising structure is designed to be viewed from a main traveled roadway of a freeway or the ingress or egress ramps thereto. If the Zoning Administrator determines that the proposed sign, billboard or other advertising structure is designed to have the advertising thereon so maintained, the application for a permit shall be denied. If the Zoning Administrator determines that the sign, billboard or other advertising structure is not designed to have the advertising thereon so maintained and that the same does not violate any other provision of this title, the permit shall be granted. Procedures for the notice, hearing and appeal of the decision of the Zoning Administrator hereunder shall be the same as are set out in Section 24.070. D. Freeway Oriented Sign Standards. In addition to finding that the master sign program meets the Site Plan and Architectural Review standards in subsection 24.010.G.1, the Planning Commission shall make the following findings as part of Site Plan and Architectural Review prior to approval of any freeway oriented wall signs for retail Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 4 shopping centers with freeway frontage. 1. Freeway oriented signs shall be limited to one permanent wall -mounted signs as defined in subsection 20.020.EE. 2. Freestanding freeway oriented signs shall be prohibited. 3. Building elevations on which freeway oriented signs are proposed shall be consistent with Site Plan and Architectural Review standards contained in subsection 24.010.G.1. Building and/or site improvements may be required by the Planning Commission to ensure conformance with the Site Plan and Architectural Review standards and required findings. For purposes of this section, building frontage includes the primary wall(s) of a building facing Highway 101. 4. The wall -mounted font shall not exceed two feet (2'-0") in height. Logos, flourishes and other symbols also shall not exceed 2'-0" in height. 5. Freeway oriented signs shall be permitted only for retail shopping center tenants of 20,000 square feet or greater and with a fagade that abuts the freeway. Only one freeway oriented sign shall be allowed per tenant meeting the above criteria. 6. Sign area shall be calculated based on 1 square foot of sign area per linear foot of building fagade with direct freeway frontage up to 60 square feet. 7. Maximum sign length shall not exceed 30 feet. 8. The sign area of freeway oriented signs shall be included in the total maximum sign area for the retail shopping center as prescribed in subsection 20.050.B.5. The addition of freeway oriented signs shall not increase the allowable sign area or number of signs for a specific tenant or overall shopping center beyond that permitted in the Master Sign Program. Size of freeway facing signs shall be consistent with the maximum sign area per tenant per existing criteria for shopping centers. 9. Freeway oriented wall signs shall consist of individual letters. Individual letters may be mounted directly on the building wall or on a narrow raceway mounted to the wall and painted the same color as the wall. 10. Cabinet signs are prohibited. 11. Lighting for freeway oriented signs shall minimize glare and distractions to motorists on the rights-of-way and adjacent properties, especially residential areas. Freeway oriented signs shall not blink, flash, flutter, or change light intensity or color. 12. Signs may have individually illuminated letters, either internally illuminated or backlighted solid letters (reverse channel/halo) or use external, direct illumination. The light shall be LED technology or other sustainable technology providing white light. 13. Temporary signage as described in Section 20.050 A.7 and Section 20.110.8.14 shall not be permitted for freeway oriented signs. 14. The same detail and design criteria should be applied to all signs proposed on freeway oriented building frontages of the subject retail shopping center. E. Caltrans Compliance. All freeway oriented signs shall comply with the California Outdoor Advertising Act, Business and Professions Code Section 5200 or as subsequently revised and shall be referred to Caltrans as appropriate for comment prior to Planning Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 5 Commission review of the master sign program. F. Design Considerations. The following items are design considerations to increase the effectiveness of freeway oriented signs and to enhance the built environment. The design of the proposed freeway oriented signs shall visually complement and be compatible with the scale and architectural style of the primary structures on the site. 1. Signs should be placed and sized consistent with the proportions of the building's facade. 2. Avoid hard -to -read, intricate fonts. Typefaces that are difficult to read reduce the sign's ability to communicate. 3. Colors should relate to and complement the materials or paint scheme of the buildings, including accent and trim colors. 4. Electrical raceways should be concealed from public view. If a raceway cannot be mounted internally behind the finished exterior wall, the exposed metal surfaces of the raceway should be as narrow as possible and finished to match the background wall, or integrated into the overall design of the sign. Section 20.150 -- Nearest to Freeways Restricted Other than signs approved as part of a master sign program for a retail shopping center with freeway frontage pursuant to Section 20.140, no outdoor advertising structure, sign, or other advertising structure shall be erected, constructed, relocated or maintained, regardless of the zone or district in which it is located: ADOPTED this 8th day of April, 2014, by the following vote: Commission Member Aye No Absent Abstain Benedetti -Petnic X Lin X Gomez X Marzo X Councilmember Miller X Vice Chair Pierre X Chair Wolpert X 00! hill Wolpert, Chair Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 6 ATTEST: fl i Heathp"r, Hines, Commi ion Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: DI Eric Donly, Cit ttorney Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-06 Page 7