HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated July 10, 2001 3
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
ITEM # �O`►a
DATE: July 10, 2001
SUBJECT: ., ORDINANCE CHMGE ON SIZE OF SIGN FOR FRATERNAL,
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS SIGNS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
BACKGROUND:
As part of the St. Thomas Aquinas church renovation, the design team created an
artistic rendering to blend the signage into the architectural elevation, however, the sign
was too large according to the sign ordinance since this was a residential
neighborhood.
Over the last several years, other religious institutions also questioned the maximum of
16 square feet per sign for their facilities in residential neighborhoods. St. Thomas
Aquinas was the first one who chose to ask the City Council for an ordinance change
and the City Council referred the issue to staff to research and return with a
recommendation.
Inspection and Planning and Housing Staff with the City Attorney reviewed ordinances
from around the country. Many other jurisdictions had limitations on signage from 16 —
32 square feet per sign. Others had elaborate formulas based on street frontage, type
of street, i.e., arterial, collector, etc. and still others just left it up to some city official to
verify the signage was in good taste.
The staff felt that 64 square feet was not overly large and felt it was a good
compromise, however, in order to be "content neutral" the size could not be allowed
larger only for religious institutions, but all types of wall signs in residential zoning
districts. This would also allow schools, fraternities, sororities, or similar uses the same
ability to install similar signage. In commercial zones, religious institutions, could still
have the same signage as allowed in that district, three square feet of signage for each
lineal foot of street frontage.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the ordinance change to allow, in residential zoning districts, a wall sign to
be up to 64 square feet or 10 percent of the area of the wall which it is affixed,
whichever is smaller, for each building side parallel to a street and if the wall sign is not
internally lighted.
2. Deny the change to the sign ordinance and remain with the current standards.
3. Give the city staff additional guidelines to come up with other options.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1
approving the proposed ordinance change to allow, in residential zoning districts, a wall
sign of up to 64 square feet or 10 percent of the area of the wall which it is affixed,
whichever is smaller, for each building side parallel to a street and only if the wall sign is
not internally lighted.
COUNCIL ACTION: