03/17/1986 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e 4. Pedestrian Auto Sign District Mr. Croteau said that there was more public testimony received regarding this change than any other. The district covers two areas: the downtown area including the mall, and 13th Avenue between Kincaid and Alder. The provisions proposed allow one sandwich board for each business having street or mall frontage; there are standards for size and specifications. The Downtown Commission requested the change to allow more flexibility in signing in the downtown area. Mr. Hansen asked if this applied to public or private property. Mr. Croteau said that if they were in public right-of-way, the portable signs would also require a mall permit; if on private property, only a sign permit would be required. Ms. Bascom asked if sandwich boards were new, and Mr. Croteau said that they are not permitted under the present code, only tolerated. The City has not enforced the existing provisions until the new code provisions are considered. Some discussion was held regarding the allowable size for sandwich boards, and Mr. Croteau said that the rights of the disabled were a major concern of the Planning Commission in specifying the height and width of the signs. The signs must be within ten feet of the business entrance. He also recommends that administrative guidelines be included in the code to allow the City staff to address the concerns of the disabled community. Ms. Ehrman asked how the provision for sandwich boards fit in with the ordinance in the University area. Ms. Brody replied that sandwich boards would be allowed only in the mall, not in the University area. Mr. Hansen asked why they should be allowed at all. Mr. Croteau answered that the Downtown Commission was very interested in their use, and they are currently used in the mall. Mr. Reed said that the City used to enforce the ordinance disallowing A-frame signs strictly, but when the Sign Code study began, it had tolerated them on the mall. Ms. Ehrman asked if, when the Sign Code provisions are approved, there will be at least an initial strict enforcement of the ordinance. Mr. Croteau replied that the City proposes to do a blanket notice on 13th Avenue businesses, an initial notice to those businesses who are violating the code now, placing newspaper ads, and providing all affected businesses with information about the provisions in order to comply within a certain time period. Mr. Ellison added that enforcement is one of the chief concerns: the proposal includes reduction of the time required to remove the sign or file a compliance report. Ms. Wooten asked why sandwich boards were being regulated in the University district, and Mr. Ellison said that the public testimony both endorsed and criticized them. Ms. Wooten could find no objection to the signs, nor did she believe them to be hazardous. Mr. Hansen questioned why it was all right to use sandwich boards on public land downtown, but not in other places. Mr. Croteau replied that sandwich boards are oriented toward people seeing them as pedestrians, not from cars. If they were allowed in all shopping centers, he believed they would cause considerable visual impact in the community. Ms. Brody added that the council could allow the boards in the University area if they agreed to do so. EXCERPT MINUTES--City Council Work Session March 17, 1986 Page 3