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Home My WebLink About08/21/1990, C-3 - SIGNING PROGRAM FOR FREEWAY-ORIENTED BUSINESSES ��► ��IIII�II��IIII city MEETING T o �IIUIU,I Cl O Sdn <<.11 S OBISPO __�_� o COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ��NUMBEijn_ ((,moi PROM: Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director PREPARED BY: Judith Lautner, Associate Planner SUBJECT: Signing program for freeway-oriented businesses CAO RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution asking the League of. California Cities to sponsor legislation allowing city-sponsored business logo signs along state highways. BACKGROUND Situation The Architectural Review Commission (ARC) and City Council (CC) have expressed concern that the city's sign regulations do not provide adequate identification for freeway-oriented businesses. Yet the commission and council do not want to allow taller or larger signs to address the needs of motels, restaurants, service stations, and other tourist services. To reduce visual clutter, yet provide a reasonable amount of exposure, the Freeway Signing Subcommittee (consisting of ARC and CC members) recommended the city develop a logo signing program similar to one in existence on Highway 5. The California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans) is responsible for approving signs within the state right-of-way. Cal Trans has determined that the logo sign program in use on Interstate 5 is inappropriate for Highway 101, because of the numerous freeway access ramps close together, and abundant distracting advertising signs. Cal Trans also is concerned about administering privately-sponsored sign programs where subjective judgments on sign appearance are required. The subcommittee, responding to Cal Trans concerns, recommends a change to the Streets and Highways Code, allowing cities or counties to develop sign programs that would be reviewed and approved by Cal Trans. The programs would be allowed only where cities were actively pursuing sign abatement or amortization programs, to relieve the highways of commercial visual clutter. Cal Trans would have ultimate authority on placement of the signs, to assure motorist safety. The subcommittee recommended the city obtain support from the League of California Cities for the recommended legislation, to assist in overcoming resistance. This support was granted last year, in the form of a league resolution adopted at the league's general meeting. Because of the difficulties involved in writing and following through on legislation, the subcommittee now recommends that the city ask the league to sponsor the legislation, instead of mearly supporting it. Sponsorship entails writing the legislation and lobbying for its approval. �3- a 111 ij � of Luis osispo COUNCIL s AGENDA REPORT Freeway signing Page 2 EVALUATION 1. Similar legislation sponsored. Last year, the city asked for support of legislation rather than sponsorship, on the advice of a league researcher. The league rarely sponsors legislation, because it has few lobbyists available for this work, and a considerable amount of time is involved. According to one researcher, sponsorship is generally limited to legislation that "directly affects the finances of cities". However, there are exceptions to this general rule. The league is sponsoring legislation very similar to San Luis Obispo's request, requested by Los Angeles County (LA) last year. The LA legislation is to "provide local governments the option to request the implementation of a logo sign program on designated Scenic Highways in local jurisdictions", Staff has been unable, to date, to find out the status of the LA County legislation, but is continuing to call the lobbyist involved. It may be possible for the LA County legislation to be modified to include San Luis Obispo's proposal. On a separate track, staff is also researching the Cal Trans criteria for designation of scenic ; highways, to find out if Highway 101 in this area may be so designated. 2. League process. The resolution must be submitted to the league by September 6, to be considered at the Annual Conference in October. Following submission, the resolution will be referred to the league's Committee on Housing, Community and Economic Development, which will make a recommendation on the resolution to the General Resolutions Committee. Lastly, the General Assembly will vote, on October 23. Councilmembers are encouraged to attend these meetings to represent the city's support of the resolution. RECONMENDATION Adopt a resolution asking the League of California Cities to sponsor legislation allowing local business signing along state highways. Attached: Draft Resolutions Draft cover letter RESOLUTION NO. (1990 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ASKING THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES TO SPONSOR LEGISLATION ALLOWING CITY- OR COUNTY-SPONSORED BUSINESS SIGN PROGRAMS ALONG STATE HIGHWAYS BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. That this council, after consideration of the subcommittee and staff recommendations and reports thereon, makes the following findings: 1. The city is actively pursuing a sign amortization and abatement program to remove signs that clutter highways, distract the travelling public, or block or disrupt vistas and scenic resources along highways; and 2. Many businesses, such as service stations, motels, and restaurants, along highways are economically dependent on business from highway users attracted to and directed by freeway-oriented. signs; and 3. Section 101.7 of the California Streets and highways Code allows the placement of business logo information signs in advance of state highway exits along a section of Interstate Route 5 to identify roadside businesses available to serve highway users; and • 4. Title 4, Chapter 6 of the California Code of Regulations restricts outdoor advertising signs along highways to official, public utility, service club, public directional and private directional signs; and 5. Cities or counties.other than San Luis Obispo have similar problems which could be solved by amending the Streets and highways code to allow Interstate Route 5 logo signs throughout the state. SECTION 2. Action. That the attached resolution be forwarded for consideration by the League of California Cities, assembled in Annual Conference in Anaheim, October 21 - 23, 19901 to sponsor legislation to give cities or counties the option to develop business logo sign. programs, similar to that used along Interstate -5, to allow for a uniform method of business identification at convenient locations within the state highway right-of-way in lieu of larger advertising signs and devices along the highway. C'3-3 I Resolution no. (1990 ,Series) � Freeway signing Page 2 On motion of _ , seconded by and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES! ABSENT: the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this day of , 1990. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk R VED: ity Admi is ti Officer it t ne Community Dev 1 pment Director p O A RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES TO SPONSOR LEGISLATION ALLOWING CITIES AND COUNTIES TO DEVELOP BUSINESS LOGO SIGNING PROGRAMS FOR STATE HIGHWAYS WHEREAS, many cities and counties have required removal of larger business identification and directional signs and billboards, or are pursuing sign amortization. programs to remove signs that clutter highways, distract the travelling public and block or disrupt vistas and scenic resources along highways; and WHEREAS, many businesses, such as service stations, motels, and restaurants along highways are economically dependent on business from highway users attracted to and directed by freeway- oriented signs; and WHEREAS, Title 4, Chapter 6 of the California Code of Regulations restricts outdoor advertising signs along highways to official, public utility, service_ club, public directional and private directional signs; and CWEEREAS, Section 101.7 of the. California Streets and highways Code allows the placement of business logo information signs in advance of state highway exists along a. section. of Interstate Route 5 to identify roadside businesses available to serve highway users; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the General Assembly of the League of California Cities, assembled in Annual Conference in Anaheim, October 21' - .23,, 1990, that the league sponsor legislation to allow cities or counties to develop business logo sign programs, similar to that used along Interstate Route 5, to allow for a uniform method of business identification at convenient locations within the state highway right-of-way in lieu of larger advertising signs and devices along the highway; provided that: 1. The city or county is actively pursuing a sign amortization or sign abatement program and has satisfactorily demonstrated, to the California Department of Transportation, the removal of larger freeway-oriented signs including, but not limited to, business identification and directional signs and billboards. 2. The city or county is responsible for overseeing the design, installation and maintenance of the Csign program. Resolution no.- �� Freeway signing Page 2 3. . The design of the signage is consistent with standards adopted by the California Department of Transportation. 4. The California Department of Transportation is responsible for the review and. approval of the sign program. �3-� ��Ii�lli lllilli!il!lill'III��'� pili�I ii I �I 1111 Oty Of SAn IwS OBISPO 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403.8100 21 August 1990 League of California Cities 1400 K Street Sacramento CA 95814 SUBJECT: Resolution submittal for annual conference Dear League President, Please review the attached resolution, for referral to your Committee on Housing, Community and Economic Development. We would like your support. We are proposing legislation to allow city- or county-sponsored freeway logo signing for traveller-oriented businesses. Our city's O sign regulations, by limiting size and number of signs, are helping to maintain the city's attractive image. Owners of freeway- oriented businesses have been reluctant to remove their nonconforming signs or install smaller signs that conform to the regulations, because they feel the travelling public will. have difficulty finding them, and that their businesses will suffer as a result. We have spoken to representatives of cities throughout the state and found that similar conflicts between esthetics and economics exist elsewhere as well. The city has reviewed several alternatives to address the businesses' and the city's concerns, and now wants to be able to provide uniform logo signing within the .highway rights-oi-way. The California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans) installed such a program on Interstate 5 several years ago. After analysis, Cal Trans determined that this type signing would only be appropriate in rural areas, where distances between exists are great and. existing signing visible from the freeway is limited. We believe our proposal responds to Cal Trans' objections, in that it includes a requirement to reduce of highway visual clutter, and requires Cal Trans review of the program. C� League August 21, 1990 - page 2 You may recall that last year we submitted a similar resolution. That resolution was adopted by the league, and supported legislation allowing freeway signing. This year we are asking the league to sponsor such legislation. If you have any questions about the proposal, please call Judith Lautner, Associate Planner, at (805) 549-7166, or write to the above address.. Sincerely, Ron Dunin, Mayor O