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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/09/1986 Meeting . e - M I NUT E S Eugene City Council Lunch/Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall April 9, 1986 11 : 30 a. m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Debra Ehrman, Emily Schue, Cynthia Wooten, Freeman Holmer, Ruth Bascom, Roger Rutan, Jeff Miller. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Richard Hansen. Mayor Brian B. Obie called the work session to order. I. SIGN CODE UPDATE Jim Croteau of the Planning Department said the council held a public hearing on the Sign Code Update on March 17, 1986, and had discussed the Planning Commission's recommendations at two previous work sessions. He said the major issues and several options for their resolutions were detailed in the memo attached to the agenda. The memo was dated April 9, 1986, and was from the Planning Department to the Mayor and City Council. Mr. Croteau said a memo titled "Signing Workshop" from Councilor Hansen to the other councilors had been distributed because Mr. Hansen could not be at the meeting. In the memo, Mr. Hansen indicated his opinions about the Sign Code Update. Mr. Croteau reviewed each major issue in the update. The councilors discussed the issues and either reached a consensus or took an informal vote on them. A. Purpose and Description Sections of Sign Districts Mr. Croteau said the changes in the purpose and description sections of the sign districts were proposed to make them conform to the Metro Area General Pl an. The councilors indicated they would accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission on the changes. B. Sign Code Variance Process Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommended that the process for considering Sign Code variance requests be streamlined. He said the commis- sion recommended that the Building Official consider variance requests admini- stratively and that the Sign Code Board of Appeals continue to hear appeals of the official's decision. He said most variance requests are routine and the recommendations would shorten the process for their MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Pa ge 1 . consideration. The new process would be similar to the process for consider- ing Zoning Code variance requests. The council now hears appeals to decisions about sign variance requests, but the council will no longer be involved if the commission's recommendations are approved. He said 30 to 45 days would be added to the Sign Code variance appeal process if the council continues to hear appeals. Mr. Gleason said the recommendation from the Planning Commission is consistent with the process criteria adopted by the council last year. Answering questions from Mr. Rutan and Ms. Bascom, Mr. Croteau said Sign Code Board of Appeals members are appointed by the council. There are five voting members and one non-voting member who represents the sign industry. He said the Building Official enforces the Sign Code. Several councilors discussed the process. Mr. Holmer favored the commission's recommendation. He said the council should not have to be involved in appeals if the sign code is written adequately. He said the council should change the Sign Code if it is not adequate. Mr. Rutan said most problems with the Sign Code have been resolved through the years, and there have been no problems with the process for Zoning Code variances. Ms. Ehrman favored the commis- sion's recommendation. She said the Sign Code Board of Appeals members have expertise and her constituents seem to be happy with their decisions. Ms. Wooten suggested the council review problems that may arise from the update later. e The councilors approved the Planning Commission's recommendation. C. Integrated Shopping Sign District Mr. Croteau said the proposed change will permit a shopping center in the Integrated Shopping Sign District to have one identity sign on each street on which it has frontage. Now, shopping centers like the Oakway Mall are per- mitted only one identity sign on one street. Ms. Wooten said she is concerned about the change because some shopping centers have street frontage facing residential areas. Answering questions from several councilors and Mayor Obie, Mr. Croteau said integrated shopping centers are complexes which usually have all the business in one building and where a common parking lot is used. In contrast, a group of two or three stores is usually designated the Outlying Commercial or High- way Oriented Sign District. He said the Oakway Mall, the Southtowne Shops, and Valley River Center are Integrated Shopping centers. Barbara MacDonald of the Public Works Department said Santa Clara Square was designated as an Integrated Shopping District, but it received a variance to have a sign on each street. Mr. Croteau said the staff suggested the proposed change because of the disparity between the Outlying Commercial District in which every business can have an identity sign and the Integrated Shopping District in which the businesses are permitted only one identity sign on one street. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 2 . e Ms. Schue suggested the proposed change be modified to permit the shopping centers to have one large identity sign on the main street and another smaller identity sign on another street. Mr. Croteau said he will research her suggestion. He said the City has standards about the brightness of electric signs that face residential neighborhoods. Mr. Holmer suggested the Integrated Shopping Sign District be abolished, but later rescinded the suggestion. Ms. Bascom said the change seemed appropriate if the City wants to encourage integrated shopping centers. The councilors approved the Planning Commission's recommendation. D. Pedestrian-Auto Sign District 1. Portable Sandwich Boards Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommended that portable sandwich boards be permitted in the downtown mall subject to regulations about size and location. He said the council could consider other options which would con- tinue to prohibit portable signs, allow portable signs in all districts, or allow portable signs in the downtown mall and along 13th Avenue between Alder and Kincaid. Mr. Croteau said Mr. Hansen indicated in his memo that portable sandwich boards should be permitted in all districts if they are permitted in the downtown mall. Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said the proposed change would not permit portable signs on trailers. He said sandwich boards are prohibited now, but many are displayed and the City has been ignoring them. If changes in the regulations are approved, the public will have to be educated about the new sign restrictions. Ms. Wooten said she remembered the councilors agreeing that sandwich boards should be permitted in pedestrian areas such as in the downtown mall and along 13th Avenue, and she supports them in those areas because they are useful for small businesses. She said the councilors also agreed that sandwich boards could be distracting where automobile traffic is heavy. Mr. Miller said he agreed with Mr. Hansen that sandwich boards should be allowed in all areas if they are permitted in any areas. He said sandwich boards help small businesses. He said they should be located so they do not hinder people and they should be tested by people with sight impairments. He said there are places in the Bethel area, such as the shopping center near the high school,which have much pedestrian and slow automobile traffic. He said sandwich boards might help the businesses in those areas. Mr. Croteau said the small sandwich boards that are proposed will only be useful in pedestrian areas. He said sandwich boards that can be read easily from automobiles on major streets must be large or be placed on the sidewalk ~ or the planting strip. MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 3 . e e Mr. Holmer said portable sandwich boards cause visual blight. Answering questions from Ms. Ehrman and Ms. Bascom, Mr. Croteau said sandwich boards in the downtown mall will require a mall permit. A revocable permit would be required for sandwich boards along 13th Avenue that are not on pri- vate property. He said it would be hard to decide what areas that are not in the Pedestrian-Auto District have enough pedestrian traffic to warrant sand- wich boards. He reviewed the recommended regulations. The councilors voted 6:1 with Mr. Holmer voting nay to approve the Planning Commission recommendation to permit sandwich boards in the downtown mall. Ms. Wooten asked the other councilors to consider permitting sandwich boards along 13th Avenue. She said the regulations for sandwich boards will be in the administrative rules the council will consider later. Several people commented on Ms. Wooten's suggestion. Mr. Miller wondered why sandwich boards should not be allowed in other shopping centers if they are allowed in the downtown mall. Mr. Rutan said sandwich boards along 13th Avenue will usually be in the right-of-way where people will walk into them. Several suggestions were made about the blocks on 13th Avenue on which sand- wich boards should be permitted. Mr. Croteau said the proposed changes apply only to property in the Pedestrian-Auto Sign District, and on 13th Avenue only the block between Kincaid and Alder is designated the Pedestrian-Auto Sign District. Ms. Wooten said the sign district should be extended along 13th Avenue. Mr. Rutan suggested the staff present a proposal to permit sandwich boards in several additional areas in the city. Ms. Ehrman said she under- stands that sandwich boards are useful for small businesses, but the 13th area is very congested and the City may have to constantly enforce the rules about the placement of sandwich boards if they are permitted along 13th Avenue. The councilors voted 5:2 with Councilors Schue, Wooten, Bascom, Ehrman, and Miller voting aye and Councilors Rutan and Holmer voting nay to consider a proposal which will permit sandwich boards along 13th Avenue. Several councilors indicated they may change their votes when the council takes final action. Mayor Obie indicated the council could look at what additional area of 13th Avenue may be appropriate for portable signs at a later date. Mr. Rutan suggested the staff be asked to indicate other areas in the City where sandwich boards might be permitted the next time the council considers the Sign Code Update. Mr. Miller emphasized that sandwich boards should be allowed in other shopping centers if they are permitted downtown. The sugges- tion was defeated 2:5 with Councilors Rutan and Miller voting aye and Council- ors Schue, Wooten, Bascom, Holmer, and Ehrman voting nay. 2. Banners, Flags and Other Attention-Getting Devices Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommended that no limit be placed on the banners, flags, and other devices that would be permitted in the Pedes- trian-Auto Sign District. If the councilors wished to limit the size of the banners, flags, and other devices, he suggested a 50 square foot limit. MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 4 . e e Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said other attention-getting devices are such things as wind socks, balloons, and static balloons. Several councilors commented on the size limitation. Mr. Rutan favored a limitation, but he was not sure whether 50 square feet is desirable. He said attention-getting devices can be very unattractive. Ms. Bascom said a size limitation now would be premature, but the council could add one later if it is needed. Ms. Schue said it will be difficult to monitor the size of such things as wind socks. She also said many small banners can be very unattrac- tive. Ms. Wooten said businesses sometimes, such as during the Olympic Con- gress, want to display special attention-getting devices. Mayor Obie asked if the councilors wanted the staff to pursue a more defini- tive size limitation and description. The suggestion failed 2:5 with Council- ors Ehrman and Schue voting aye and Councilors Wooten, Rutan, Bascom, Miller, and Holmer voting nay. Mayor Obie asked if the councilors wanted to allow banners, flags, and other attention-getting devices without the size limitation. No vote was taken, but the consensus seemed to be not to allow banners, flags, and attention-getting devices. 3. Search Lights Mr. Croteau said search lights are not permitted now, but the Planning Commis- sion recommended that search lights be permitted in the Pedestrian-Auto District. Ms. Wooten suggested the council not approve the Planning Commission recommen- dation and, by that action, prohibit search lights. The suggestion was approved 5:2 with Councilors Schue, Wooten, Holmer, Bascom, and Ehrman voting aye and Councilors Rutan and Miller voting nay. E. Provision of Outdoor Merchandising Mr. Croteau said the issue of providing for outdoor merchandising is moot. No vote was taken. F. Signs for Businesses Adjacent to Interstate or Limited Access Highways Mr. Croteau said businesses which have frontage but no vehicular access on an interstate or limited access highway cannot now have a size facing the high- way. The Planning Commission recommended that businesses in the Highway- Oriented Sign District, the Industrial Sign District, Outlying Commercial Sign District, and the Integrated Shopping Sign District be permitted to have a wall identification sign facing the highway if they have frontage. He said the proposed change would permit the Van Duyn Chocolate Company to have an identification sign on Be1t1ine Road. Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said each business with frontage on an Interstate or limited access highway would be permitted an identification sign. He said several businesses have requested such signs. MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 5 . e The councilors approved the Planning Commission recommendation 5:2 with Councilors Schue, Holmer, Bascom, and Rutan, and Miller voting aye and Councilors Ehrman and Wooten voting nay. F. Bus Stop Waiting Area Advertisement Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommended that advertising be per- mitted on the front side of the backs of benches in L.T.D. bus stop waiting areas. Ms. Bascom said she would not mind advertising on bus stop benches. Mr. Rutan said he does not think signs should be permitted in bus stop waiting areas. He said many bus stops do not have benches. By consensus, the councilors agreed with Mr. Rutan; consequently, they did not approve the Planning Commission recommendation and advertisements will not be permitted in bus stops. G. Banners for Community Events Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommended that the size of banners for community events be increased from 100 to 200 square feet, that the time period of hanging banners be 30 days prior and ten days after the event, and that the identity of sponsors be permitted on 25 percent of the square footage of the banners. Several councilors commented on the proposed changes. Ms. Wooten said 21 days prior to the event is long enough to hang the banners. She said sponsor iden- tification on banners should be permitted because it is difficult to get cor- porate sponsors for community events if they cannot be identified on banners. She said the change will encourage cooperation from the private sector. Ms. Bascom said 30 days before an event is not too long to hang the banners. Mr. Holmer said the 100-square foot limitation should be retained. He said the 200-square foot size will caUSe visual pollution. Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said there is no size limitation on the banners which hang on poles. The councilors approved the Planning Commission recommendation 6:1, except the provision for extending the posting period, with Councilors Schue, Ehrman, Wooten, Miller, Bascom, and Rutan voting aye and Councilor Holmer voting nay. H. Sign Code Enforcement Process Mr. Croteau reviewed the enforcement process for sign code violations recom- mended by the Planning Commission. He said the proposed changes will stream- line the process and the Municipal Court will still mediate violations. Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said the present process is very cumbersome. The Building Division will continue to enforce the Sign Code and the proposed changes will reduce the cost of enforcement. He said the owner of a sign which the Building Division staff has decided violates the Sign Code will be ~ notified of the violation and given an opportunity to make the sign comply or MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 6 e request a court hearing. City Attorney Tim Sercombe said the owner may file an agreement in Municipal Court indicating that the violation will not be repeated. Ms. Ehrman asked that businesses be notified of the changes in the enforcement process. By consensus, the councilors approved the recommendation of the Planning Commission about the enforcement process. I. Goodpasture Island Automobile Dealerships Mr. Croteau said the Planning Commission recommendation will permit the three automobile dealerships to apply for the Highway Oriented Sign District which will permit 30 foot high identification signs. The existing signs are 39 to 44 feet high. He said the commission recommendation is a compromise because the present Sign Code designation has a height limitation of 20 feet. He said the standards to which other businesses in the community have conformed were considered by the commissioners during their discussion of the dealers' signs. Mr. Rutan said he did not think the community would be served by requiring the dealers' signs to be reduced nine to twelve feet. He said the reduction will be very expensive and exemplifies unnecessary regulation. He said the busi- nesses were outside Eugene when the signs were erected. e Ms. Ehrman said other businesses in the city have complied with the Sign Code and there is no specific reason for giving the three dealers a special exemp- tion. She said it is a matter of fairness. Mayor Obie said he agreed with Mr. Rutan. Mayor Obie said he also supports raising the height limitation in the Highway Oriented Sign District to 44 feet. Mr. Croteau suggested the staff present a proposal that will affect only the three dealers' signs if the other councilors agree that the dealers' signs should remain 44 feet high. He said about 170 signs on Franklin Boule- vard could be raised if the maximum height in the Highway Oriented Sign Dis- trict is increased to 44 feet. Mr. Holmer favored a special provision that will permit the three dealers' signs to remain 44 feet tall. Answering questions, Mr. Croteau said variances will be granted for the size of the existing signs if they are designated the Highway Oriented Sign Dis- trict. The only required change would be in the height of the signs. He said other business owners have made their signs conform to the Sign Code. For example, the Valley River Inn reduced the size of its sign. Ms. Wooten said she favored retaining the 30-foot height for other signs in the Highway Oriented Sign District and approving an exception to permit the three dealers' signs to be 44 feet high. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 7 e Mr. Holmer said the 44-foot height should apply to the existing signs only. If the signs are replaced~ they should conform to the regulations in the Highway Oriented Sign district. Ms. Schue said she opposes a special exemption for the three dealers' signs. She said the dealers were aware of the City's regulations and chose to con- struct signs that would not conform to the City standards. She said the dealers should abide by the same regulations that control the signs of other businesses. The councilors voted 5:2 with Councilors Holmer~ Bascom~ Miller, Rutan, and Wooten voting aye and Councilor Schue and Ehrman voting nay to approve an exemption for the three Goodpasture Island automobile dealerships which will permit their existing signs to remain 44 feet high. Any new signs will have to conform to regulations in the Highway Oriented sign District. J. Reader Boards on Identification Signs Mr. Croteau said a letter from Larry Azeltine, 175 N.E. Columbia, Portland, was distributed to the councilors. Mr. Azeltine represented Heath Northwest, Inc., and urged the councilors to eliminate the present 15-foot setback for readerboards. The councilors did not act on the request. e K. Blinking Signs Mr. Croteau said Mr. Hansen asked the councilors to consider prohibiting blinking signs with chaser lights. Mr. Croteau said the Sign Code has standards for signs with pulsing lights. The councilors did not act on the request. Mayor Obie adjourned the work session about 12:45 p.m. Micheal Gleason City Manager (Recorded by Betty Lou Rarick) 2015C e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 9, 1986 Page 8