Item 6H CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE
MEMORANDUM
September 27, 2016
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Ken Baker, Senior Director of Planning and Development Services
Subject: Item 6H —Ordinance 704-1
Action Requested: Consider approval on 2nd reading of proposed amendments to Sign
Ordinance No. 704, as amended.
Background
Information: Per City Council's directive the staff has revised the City's sign ordinance
to provide an ordinance that is intended to result in an easy and pleasant
communication between the public and built environment and avoid visual
clutter that is potentially harmful to traffic and pedestrian safety, property
values and community appearance.
Staff has provided specific details regarding all of the proposed changes
in the PowerPoint presentation provided in the packet (Link provided to
the PowerPoint in the memo).
There still remain a few major discussion points that City Council must
address prior to approving the ordinance. These discussion points relate
primarily to the following: 1) Attached Building Signs (staff has provided
examples of permitted vs prohibited attached sign types in the
PowerPoint presentation); 2) Existing Commercial Building For Lease or
Sale Signs (Council must decide whether to allow this sign type per
regulations with a $100 sign permit fee or prohibit the sign type?); and 3)
increasing the penalty for a violation from $500 per incident to $1,000 per
incident.
1. Attached Signs (Mounted Letter)
The first reading of the sign ordinance proposed that signage with
mounted letters to the building must be either be a reverse channel sign
(halo lit or back lit) or individually mounted channel letters consisting of a
neutral color (specific criteria in regards to letter color is described in
Section 7.2, Table 4 —page 22 of the ordinance). The first reading motion
prohibited the use of individually mounted channel letters. This will
require that all individually new mounted letter sign types be a reverse
channel (back lit/halo) type sign. Staff will provide as part of its
CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE
presentation an examples of this type of sign as well as examples of the
prohibited channel letter sign types.
2. Existing Commercial Building For Lease or Sale Ground Sign
City Council must determine if the Existing Commercial Building For
Lease or Sale Ground Sign type is to be prohibited, or if this type sign will
be regulated as stated in Section 6.1.11 (Page 20 of the ordinance)? If
this type of sign is permitted, staff is recommending that the permit fee for
this type of sign be $100.
3. Penalty for Violations
Staff is recommending that the penalty for a sign violation be increased
from $500 per incident to $1,000 per incident (Section 9.8.1 — Page 40).
Other changes to the ordinance since the 1s' reading include separate
criteria for residential versus non-residential development/construction
signage. The proposed regulation language is found in Section 6.1.9 &
10 (page 20 of the ordinance). Also based on the first reading motion
staff has listed channel letter signage as a prohibited sign type (Section
5.2.28 —page 12 of the ordinance).
Financial
Considerations: None
Strategic Link: CB03 — Engage in thoughtful planning to ensure continued high quality
development that is integrated will into the current built environment;
C3 — Provide attractive & unique spaces for enjoyment of personal
interests.
Citizen Input /
Board Review: Link to SPIN Summary Report
Legal Review: The draft ordinance has been reviewed by the City Attorney.
Supporting
Document: Link to draft Ordinance No. 704-1
Link to PowerPoint Presentation
Sign Board: August 4, 2016; Approved (5-0) as presented.
City Council: August 16, 2016; Approved 1s' Reading (7-0) on Consent, noting the
following:
• City Council will choose either Option A or Option B: a) specifically
that "Existing Commercial For Lease Signs" will be listed as a
prohibited sign type, or, b) "Existing Commercial For Lease Signs"
CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE
will be permitted per the regulations outlined in Section 6.1.10 of
the ordinance.
• Also, in regards to "Existing Commercial For Lease Signs,"
directing staff to research and propose a permit fee to include an
increase in such fees including time bounds and renewal options
and directing staff to research and propose a potential fine
schedule and process in the event an individual business is in
violation of the newly-adopted ordinance.
• In regards to "Development/Construction Signs," creating
regulations that are unique to both commercial and unique for
residential development projects.
• In regards to "Attached Signs," directing staff to prohibit channel
letter signs.
Staff
Recommendation: Approve as presented or provide feedback for modification(s)