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<br />e <br /> <br />M I NUT E S <br /> <br />Eugene City Council <br />McNutt Room--City Hall <br /> <br />May 18, 1988 <br />11:30 a.m. <br /> <br />COUNCILORS PRESENT: Freeman Holmer, Ruth Bascom, Robert Bennett, Debra <br />Ehrman, Cynthia Wooten, Jeff Miller, Emily Schue, Roger <br />Rutan. <br /> <br />Mayor Obie called to order the adjourned meeting of May 11, 1988. <br /> <br />I. ITEMS FROM CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND CITY MANAGER <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />A. Revisions to Sign Code <br /> <br />Mayor Obie said that he would not be present at the council meeting the <br />following Monday eveni~g when the Sign Code revisions would be brought to the <br />council. He said that Deputy Public Works Director Terry Smith is in the <br />audience today to briefly discuss the proposed revisions and and answer any <br />questions. Mr. Smith distributed a corrected copy of the ordinance and <br />briefly discussed the changes being made to the code. He noted that language <br />dealing with the content of signs has been removed. Signs are discussed in <br />terms of the type of structure and type of sign. The part of the ordinance <br />dealing with the geographic and site restrictions remain as is, while the <br />.portion about the type of signs has been removed. Mr. Smith discussed the <br />portions of the ordinance regarding temporary signs, special signs, and <br />"exempt" signs. Mr. Smith concluded by saying that the staff has attempted <br />to create a situation where nearly all existing signs will remain unaffected <br />by the interim code. Any sign not allowed by the existing code because of <br />size, height, or structure, would still not be allowed. <br /> <br />Ms. Wooten observed that the interim Sign Code leaves unclear whether or not <br />murals are allowed in the City. She said she is concerned about this situa- <br />tion. She did not want this to be a permanent prohibition in the Sign Code. <br />Mr. Smith said there is a section in the existing code describing mural <br />regulation and the permitting process. The standards were that a mural could <br />be permitted if it was noncommercial in nature. Due to various court ac- <br />tions, the City has not been able to legally distinguish between commercial <br />and noncommercial ~peech as the likely outcome of a court test. Because the <br />City is unable to make this distinction, it would be in the position of <br />allowing all murals regardless of content. For this reason, in the interim <br />code, the section on murals has been removed and language has been included <br />regarding building highlights and decorations. He said that simple, geomet- <br />ric, abstract designs would be allowed by this language, but more representa- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council <br /> <br />May 18, 1988 <br /> <br />Page 1 <br />