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Home My WebLink About12621262 ORDINANCE NO. (1994 SERIES) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AMENDING THE SIGN REGULATIONS RELATING TO SIGN ILLUMINATION WITHIN THE CITY'S OFFICE (0) ZONING DISTRICTS AND RECINDING ORDINANCE No. 1253 IN CONFLICT (TA 167 -93) WHEREAS, the Architectural Review Commission conducted five public hearing on application No. TA 167 -93 between August 16, 1993 and October 18, 1993 and recommended approval of amendments to the City's Sign Regulations; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the Architectural Review Commission's recommendations as a business item on November 16, 1993 and recommended language modifications that eliminated hourly illumination restrictions and provided cross reference to "foot candle" and "lux" illumination standards; and WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a public hearing on, January 18, 1994, and has considered testimony of other interested parties, the records of the Architectural Review Commission hearing and action, and the evaluation and recommendation of staff; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the proposed amendment is consistent with the purposes of the Sign Regulations and other applicable City ordinances with the re- establishment of hourly illumination restrictions; and WHEREAS, the City Council had previously considered and adopted a negative declaration of environmental impact on June 15, 1993 (ER 61 -93) that addressed potential impacts caused by adoption of new sign illumination regulations; BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. The Council determines that there will be no significant environmental impacts as a result of amending the regulations, and hereby finds the negative declaration previously adopted on June 15, 1993 adequate for environmental review purposes. SECTION 2. The Sign Regulations are hereby amended by the change to Sections 15.40.020, 15.40.140, 15.40.160, and 15.40.180 which are fully contained in the attached Exhibit A, included in this ordinance by reference. SECTION 3. Ordinance No. 1253 in conflict is hereby rescinded. SECTION 4. A summary of this ordinance, together with the names of council members voting for and against, shall be published at least 5 days prior to its final passage, in the Telegram- Tribune, a newspaper published and circulated in this City. This ordinance shall go into effect at the expiration of thirty (30) days after its final passage. 0 -1262 Ordinance No. 1-262 (1994 Series) Sign Regulations Amendment Page 2 INTRODUCED AND PASSED TO PRINT by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo at its meeting held on the 19thday of April , 1994, on motion of Romero , seconded by Roalman , and on the following roll call vote: AYES: Council Members Romero, Roalman, Settle, and Mayor Pinard NOES: None ABSENT: Council Member Rappa ATTEST: FA t�� . eil .a APPROVED: /LLB ►�..:ic. , , 15.40.160 General standards The following standards apply to signs located in all zone districts: A. Shopping Center Identification Signs: With architectural review commission approval, in addition to the signs permitted for individual tenants or businesses, shopping centers may have one identification sign per frontage (or freeway exposure) not to exceed twenty -five feet in height or seventy -two square feet in area. Such shopping center signs shall not be included in the dimensional or area calculations for individual tenants or businesses. B. Yards: Except as provided in this chapter, no signs shall be allowed within the required yard area. Traffic directional signs and identification signs not exceeding three feet in height may be placed in the required yard area. C. Illuminated Signs: Lighting for exterior illuminated signs shall be so arranged that it does not create a hazardous glare for pedestrians or vehicles either in a public street or on any private premises. Each sign shall be designed so that illumination does not exceed one hundred luxes (ten candlepower) at a distance ten feet from the sign. D. Freestanding and Monument Signs: Monument signs may be used where freestanding signs are permitted by the provisions of this chapter. Such' monument signs shall have the same area limitations as freestanding signs but shall not exceed one -third the height of allowed freestanding signs. Monument signs shall not be placed so as to obstruct visibility necessary for safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation, but may be placed in required street yard and /or setback areas. E. Projecting and Suspended Signs: Projecting signs, including marquee signs and suspended signs, shall conform to the following requirements: 1. The minimum clearance between the lowest point of a sign and the grade immediately below shall be eight feet. 2. The minimum horizontal clearance between a sign and the curb line shall be two feet; the maximum projection over a public sidewalk shall be two- thirds the width of the sidewalk or six feet, whichever is less. 3. The top of a projecting sign shall not exceed the height of the face of the building by which it is supported. F. Wall Signs: The distance between the highest point of a wall sign and the grade immediately below shall not exceed twenty -five feet. 15.40.180 Abatement or conformance required when. Except as provided for in Section 15.40.140 C, signs which do not conform to the provisions of this chapter, but which lawfully existed and were maintained prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified herein, shall be removed or made to conform within sixty days after written notice by the department of community development, when: A. The use of the premises changes and the exterior of the building or other site conditions are to be altered; or B. A sign is damaged by any cause resulting in replacement or repair cost equal to or greater than one -half of its replacement value at the time the damage occurs; or C. In accordance with the amortization schedule outlined in Section 15.40.190. EXHIBIT A 15.40.020 Purpose. These regulations are intended to: A. Protect and enhance the character and natural beauty of the community and its various neighborhoods and districts; B. Protect those uses which are adequately and appropriately identified from too many and too large signs in their environs; C. Protect commercial districts from sign clutter; D. Protect residential districts from light and glare caused by commercial signs; E. Protect the public's ability to identify uses and premises without confusion; F. Eliminate unnecessary distractions which may jeopardize pedestrian or vehicular traffic safety; G. Assure the maintenance of signs; H. Implement the community design objectives expressed in the general plan; and I. Encourage energy conservation in sign design. 15.40.140 Office zone. The following signs are permitted within the office (0) zone district: A. Signs for residential uses as provided in Section 15.40.130; B. Total area of all signs for professional office uses shall not exceed fifty square feet per business or tenant, including: 1. One freestanding sign at each premises not to exceed twenty -four square feet in area or eight feet in height; 2. One wall sign for each business or tenant, not to exceed five percent of the building face or twenty -five square feet, whichever is less, for each frontage; 3. One directory sign at each premises and not exceeding one square foot for each room or suite occupied as a unit; 4. Sign illumination, where allowed shall be indirect and shall utilize focused light fixtures that do not allow light or glare to shine above the horizontal plane of the top of the sign or onto any public right -of -way or adjoining property. Indirect glare shall not exceed that value which is produced by an illumination of the reflecting surface not to exceed 10 luxes (1 candlepower) measured 10 feet from the sign. No internally illuminated signs shall be allowed except as provide for in subsection 6 below; 5. Illuminated signs, where allowed shall be turned off after the hour of 10:00 p.m. or close of business, whichever occurs last; and 6. Hospitals are allowed to have internally illuminated signs subject to the illumination levels authorized by Section 15.40.160C. C. Signs which do not conform to the provisions of this section, but which lawfully existed and were maintained prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified herein, shall be made to conform when the sign is replaced. M Ordinance No. 1262 (1994 Series) FINALLY PASSED this 3rd day of May , 1994, on motion of Council Member Roalman , seconded by Council Member Settle , and on the following roll call vote: AYES: Council Members Roalman, Settle, Romero, and Mayor Pinard NOES: Council Member Rappa ABSENT: None (?-U 24nnz� Mayor Peg inard ATTEST: 0111 V ME A VINE0, /1, 0-1-1 i 14i: �9 Xt oo