02/27/1978 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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C. Appeal from Sign Code Board af Appeals re: Red, Yellow & Green Machine for Sign Located 1940 Franklin Boulevard Denied by Sign Code Board of Appeals January 16, 1978. Manager said the appeal came from Tom Mayer, Red, Yellow & Green Machine, 745 Polk. The proposed mural is for the surplus and outdoor sales store located at 1940 Franklin Boulevard. The Sign Code Board of Appeals unanimously upheld staff in stating that the design was a sign in that it clearly intended to draw attention to the outdoor store. Appellant contends that it is a mural in that it did not emphasize clothes. Staff contends murals should not relate to busi- ness or store and should depict ideas not related to the business. - Mick Nolte, Building Department, reviewed the meeting held January 16 of the Sign Code Board of Appeals. He said the unanimous decision was based on the interpretation and definition of a sign under City Code. The mural contains subjects that are related to the business in the building and activities depicted those within the store. He noted the Planning Department staff has been studying amendments for the Sign Code Ordinance in the hopes of more clearly defining what is a sign and what is a mural. He noted the Toy Shoppe mural represents the threshold between advertising and decoratin~, and it becomes a subjective decision as to what is and what is not a sign. A picture was then displayed for Council and audience which indi- cated the proposed mural. e In calling for ex parte contacts or conflicts of interest, only Councilor Obie abstained from discussion and voting. Staff notes and minutes were received as part of the record by reference thereto. Public hearing was opened. Tom Mayer, 745 Polk, referred to other cities in which mural art work was used to make buildings more attractive. He felt the use of murals in Eugene woul d also accompli sh thi s. The city di d not have a definitive ordinance for signs and noted there were about ten businesses in Eugene who had murals that could be defined as signs by depicting businesses within the store, such as Hawkeye's, La Posada, Captain John's, and the Homegrown Shop. He said these could be denied also for the same reasons he had been denied. He felt the proposed drawing is a mural as it does not contain words or products and does not depict a service or logo. He felt it should be determined to be a mural and not a sign. He proposed Council approve the mural on its pictoral content only. e 2/27/78--12 '3~