HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated May 22, 2018 1
ITEM# 36
DATE: 5-22-18
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: Proposed Ordinance to Allow Signage in Residentially-Zoned Private
Parks
BACKGROUND:
At the regular meeting of the Ames City Council on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, City Council
referred an item directing staff to initiate a text amendment to Chapter 21 of the Municipal Code.
This referral was the result of a letter (Attachment A) sent to the Mayor and Council on April 9,
2018 from Donna Scherr, President of the Somerset Property Owners' Association, requesting
that signage be allowed on the privately owned parks within Somerset.
Chapter 21 of the Ames Municipal Code regulates signage within the City of Ames. The
allowance for signs in residential zones is very limited. As shown below, Section 21.121
prohibits signage in residential zones with twelve exceptions. Staff recommends the addition of
subsection (13) in bold below:
Sec. 21.121 On Premises Signage
For all signs subject to the sign regulations, in agricultural, commercial and industrial zoning
districts in the City of Ames except in the S-HM District there may be three (3) square feet of
signage for each foot of street frontage. Signs in the Planned Zoning districts are as permitted on
the approved site plan. Where any side of a building abuts.on an alley, only painted on wall signs
shall be permitted on the side abutting the alley. Such sign shall be calculated as part of total
permissible signage. For all signs subject to the sign regulations in residential zoning districts in
the City of Ames, only the following signs are permitted:
(1) Real estate signs not exceeding six (6) square feet in area, which advertise the sale, rental,
or lease of the premises upon which said signs are located only.
(2) Signs, including bulletin boards, which are not over sixteen (16) square feet in area for public,
educational, charitable, fraternal or religious institutions, or privately owned parks, when
such signs are located on the premises of such institution.
(3) Signs denoting only the name and profession/business of an occupant in a commercial
building, public institutional building, or dwelling house and not exceeding two (2) square feet
in area.
(4) Single sign denoting the architect, engineer or contractor when placed upon work under
construction and not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in area.
(5) Memorial signs or tables, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into any masonry
surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials.
(6) Publicly owned street name signs, traffic control signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs,
danger and temporary warning or emergency signs; and emblems, names, logos, and
symbols on motor vehicles and equipment being used for purposes other than the display of
signs or advertising devices.
(7) Public service signs which give only direction "in and out" or signs which provide only
information about directing people to ancillary facilities such as parking, entrance, etc.
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(8) Temporary or portable sign.
(9) Subdivision Development Signs. One subdivision development sign may be permitted per
preliminary plat or Conceptual Development Plan for subdivisions of 2 acres or more in area.
This sign shall not exceed 96 sq. ft. in area and 12 ft. in height. It shall be located in the
subdivision it identifies and no closer than 25 ft. from any property line, no closer than 100'
from any pre-existing residence and only on lots abutting collector or arterial streets. The sign
shall be the sole use of the property on which it is located. The sign shall identify the name of
the subdivision exactly as it is set out on the preliminary plat or conceptual development plan
approved by the City and may include the names of the subdivision developers, a map of the
area covered by the subdivision and a description of amenities in it. The sign shall not be
installed until utility construction has begun in the subdivision and the sign shall be removed
once building permits have been issued for 50% of the lots in the subdivision.
(10)Residential Subdivision Entrance Signs. The regulations described in this section apply to
subdivision entrance signs in residential subdivisions. The location, number, size, height,
materials, maintenance, and message regulations for subdivision identification signs are as
follows:
a. Signs located on private property shall be no closer to the traveled part of a street
than the right-of-way line. Signs shall not be allowed in the street visibility triangle, as
such is described by Section 29.408(5).
b. It shall be unlawful to erect a subdivision entrance sign on public property, and the
Council shall grant no encroachment permits for such signs.
c. Subdivision entrance signs shall not be permitted off-premise.
d. Two signs shall be permitted at each subdivision entrance. Double-faced signs shall
be counted as two signs.
e. The size of the message area (subdivision name and address) of the sign shall not
exceed 20 square feet. The size of the sign structure in comparison to the size of the
message area shall not exceed a ratio of 7 to 1, unless approved as part of a
Planned Unit Development.
f. Signs shall not exceed six (6) feet in height.
g. Materials used in the construction of subdivision entrance signs shall be low
maintenance materials and may include:metal, wood, brick, stone and concrete.
h. Maintenance of signs, illumination devices, and landscaping shall be the
responsibility of the property owner. Signs which, by reason of deterioration, may
become unsafe or unsightly shall be repaired or removed by the property owner upon
written notice of the City. Signs which by reason of deterioration become unsafe or
unsightly may be removed by the City upon written notice of the City.
i. The message on a subdivision entrance sign shall include only the name and
address of the subdivision.
j. Signs may be illuminated internally or by reflected light subject to the following:
i. The light source shall not be directly visible and shall be arranged to reflect
away from adjoining premises;
ii. The light source shall not be placed so to cause confusion or hazard to
traffic, or to conflict with traffic control signs or lights.
iii. No illumination involving movement, by reason of the lighting arrangement,
the lighting source, or other devices shall be permitted. This includes
blinking, flashing, rotating, and message changing; and
iv. The Property Owner's Association shall be responsible for the costs
associated with providing electricity to the light source.
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k. Landscaping shall be incorporated at the base of each subdivision entrance sign
which enhances the site and the surrounding area. Plant materials shall not obstruct
the visibility of moving vehicles or interfere with the maintenance of adjacent public
property. Approval of a landscape plan for each residential subdivision entrance sign
by the Director of Planning and Housing is required.
(11)Multiple-Family Development Entrance Signs. The regulations described in this section apply
to entrance signs in multiple-family residential developments. Multiple-family developments
include apartments with 13 or more dwelling units and group living facilities with 13 or more
sleeping rooms. The location, number, size, height, materials, maintenance, and message
regulations for multiple-family development entrances signs are as follows:
a. Signs located on private property shall be no closer to the traveled part of a street
than the right-of-way line. Signs shall not be allowed in the street visibility triangle, as
such is described by Section 29.408(5).
b. It shall be unlawful to erect a multiple-family residential entrance sign on public
property, and the Council shall grant no encroachment permits for such signs.
c. Multiple-family development entrance signs shall not be permitted off-premise.
d. One sign shall be permitted per driveway entrance from a public street.
e. The size of the message area (development name and address) of the sign shall not
exceed 20 square feet.
f. Signs shall not exceed six (6) feet in height.
g. Materials used in the construction of multiple-family development entrance signs shall
be low maintenance materials and may include: metal, wood, brick, stone and
concrete.
h. Maintenance of signs, illumination devices, and landscaping shall be the
responsibility of the property owner. Signs which, by reason of deterioration, may
become unsafe or unsightly shall be repaired or removed by the property owner upon
written notice of the City. Signs which by reason of deterioration become unsafe or
unsightly may be removed by the City upon written notice of the City.
i. The message on a multiple-family development entrance sign shall include only the
name and address of the development.
j. Signs may be illuminated internally or by reflected light subject to the following:
i. The light source shall not be directly visible and shall be arranged to reflect
away from adjoining premises,
ii. The light source shall not be placed so to cause confusion or hazard to
traffic, or to conflict with traffic control signs or lights.
iii. No illumination involving movement by reason of the lighting arrangement,
the lighting source, or other devices shall be permitted. This includes
blinking, flashing, rotating, and message changing, and
iv. The Property Owner's Association shall be responsible for the costs
associated with providing electricity to the light source.
k. Landscaping shall be incorporated at the base of each subdivision entrance sign
which enhances the site and the surrounding area. Plant materials shall not obstruct
the visibility of moving vehicles or interfere with the maintenance of adjacent public
property. Approval of a landscape plan for each residential subdivision entrance sign
by the Director of Planning and Housing is required.
(12)Commercial Signage for Mixed-Use Developments. The regulations described in this section
apply to signs used to advertise commercial tenant spaces on residentially zoned properties.
a. Ground Signs:
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i. The number of ground signs shall not exceed one, excluding any permitted
residential subdivision entrance signs or multiple-family development
entrance signs.
ii. The maximum height of a ground sign is twelve (12) feet, including the sign
structure.
iii. The maximum square footage of a monument sign is 64 square feet, not
including the sign structure.
b. Wall Signs:
i. The maximum square footage of a wall sign is thirty-two (32) square feet.
ii. The number of wall-mounted signs shall not exceed two (2) signs per tenant
space, including lettering on awnings and windows.
iii. Wall signs are prohibited above the first floor of the building.
c. Prohibited signs include:
i. Off-premise signage; and
ii. Electronic message signs.
d. Signs maybe illuminated internally or by reflected light subject to the following:
i. The light source shall not be directly visible and shall be arranged to reflect
away from adjoining premises;
ii. The light source shall not be placed so as to cause confusion or hazard to
traffic, or to conflict with traffic control signs or lights; and
iii. No illumination involving movement, by reason of the lighting arrangement,
the lighting source, or other devices shall be permitted. This includes, but
shall not be limited to, blinking, flashing, rotating, and message changing.
The proposed text is intended to help identify park areas that are not currently allowed signage.
Adding the language `or privately owned parks' to Section 21.121(2) keeps the restrictions
consistent with similar signs on church, charitable, school, and fraternal properties.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following options are available to the City Council:
1.) Approve on first reading the addition of`or privately owned parks' to Sec. 21.121(2)
allowing signs, not exceeding 16 square feet, to be erected on privately owned parks.
2.) Request Staff draft alternative language that would allow signage in privately owned
parks.
3.) Deny on first reading the addition of`or privately owned parks' to Sec. 21.121(2). This
would prohibit the erection of signage in privately owner parks.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends approving Alternative 1, allowing signs not exceeding 16 square
feet to be erected on privately owned parks. The proposed language is consistent with
comparable signs and would allow private parks to identify themselves. Landmark
identification, such as a park sign, is beneficial to our citizens as it increases their ability to be .
located during an emergency.
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