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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-01-2009 Special PLANNING & COMMUNITY CITY OF ' * DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE UBUR:N * WASHINGTON SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m. in the Council Conference Room located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA. Committee members present were: Chair Lynn Norman, Vice Chair Nancy Backus and Member Rich Wagner. Staff members present included: Mayor Pete Lewis, Assistant Director Kevin Snyder, Senior Planner Chris Andersen, City Attorney Dan Heid and Planning Secretary Renee Tobias. II. ACTION A. Ordinance No. 6263 - Amendments to ACC 18.56 - Signs Chapter 18.56 (Signs) of the Auburn City Code contains regulations and standards for the use of different types of signage on private properties and publicly owned land within the municipal limits of the City of Auburn. The Planning, Building and Community Department and the Mayor's Office have received numerous requests from local businesses for increased regulatory allowances for portable and temporary signs to help stimulate local business activities during the current significant economic downturn. Staff met with the Planning and Community Development Committee on July 27, 2009 and the Planning Commission on August 4, 2009 to discuss issues and ideas for possible amendments to Chapter 18.56 in response to these requests. Following these meetings, City staff prepared draft amendments to ACC 18.56 addressing potential additional flexibility for portable a-frame signs, temporary signs (i.e. special event signs and banners) and off-site directional signs. The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on August 25, 2009 on the proposed amendments. The Commission recommended that Council adopt the proposed amendments. As part of its motion, the Committee recommended that the proposed amendments be valid for a one year period from the effective date of adopting the ordinance with the opportunity for two additional six-month extensions. The Commission further recommended that a permit be required for the placement of temporary/portable or off-site directional signs in the public rights-of-way. City Attorney Dan Heid noted that any extension of times would be an administrative procedure and would not have to go back to the Planning Commission for a public hearing. Planning Commission further recommended that for signs placed in the public right-of-way, there would be an easily-attained approval through the City via a permit. Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 1, 2009 Assistant Director Kevin Snyder stated that Planning and Legal staffs have different points of view to present to the Committee with respect to temporary and portable signs in the public right of way, and whether they should be subject to a permit. Both viewpoints were presented to the Planning Commission. Planning staff stated that from a staff workload management standpoint, requiring businesses to apply for a permit would create additional permit review responsibilities for staff. Further, requiring businesses to apply for a permit and pay permitting fees for signs in the right of way may not be economic development friendly. Staff recommends that if a permit is required, there either there be no fee or a low fee. Both Planning and Legal staff agreed that the authorization process should not be onerous for the business owners. City Attorney Dan Heid stated that the City Legal staffs' concern is that if a temporary sign permit is not required, business owners might be able to make an argument that they have a vested right under the code to continue placing their sign in the public right-of-way. If the permit had a specific expiration date, this argument could not be raised. A one-page form, signed by the owner, acknowledging permission to place their sign in public right-of-way for a limited time, could be sufficient. Legal does not have an issue with the implementation of the temporary signs or continued use, but rather that some business owners may feel that they would have a legal basis to be able to continue using the temporary and portable signs after the sunset of the temporary amendments as a legal nonconforming use. Committee asked about the work load on Code Enforcement as well as the fine for having an unpermitted sign in the public right-of-way. Mr. Snyder responded that Code Enforcement staff would carry the temporary sign forms to distribute to those business owners who have not obtained a permit. Planning Commission recommended that a permit would be required only for signs placed in a public right-of-way. For signs placed on private property, the Commissions felt that a permit was not needed. Staff noted that the current sign code would still apply. Committee discussed permitting signs in the public right-of-way and private property. Committee agreed that the temporary sign permit process should be easy, and further, that the permits would be required for signs placed both in the public right-of- way and private property. Staff related that limitation to size and number of signs for both single-tenant and multi-tenant buildings have been written into the draft language (18.56.030.1). The Planning Director has the discretionary authority to authorize additional portable signs along a public or private street frontage if it will not substantively impact the visual and/or aesthetic impact to the City and allowance is warranted by physical site conditions. Committee reviewed and discussed the proposed amendments and directed staff to revise the proposed amendments to reflect the following: • Temporary sign permits will be required for all temporary, portable, and off- premises directional signs, whether in the public ROW or on private property. Page 2 Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 1, 2009 • Temporary sign permits will have an expiration date of September 16, 2010. • 18.56.030.B.2.b: The area of any single banner used by a single business on a site shall not exceed 32 sq feet unless it spans the street. • 18.56.030.I.f: Delete the proposed requirement that portable signs shall be displayed during regular business hours only. • 18.56.030.J.f: Off-premises directional signs shall have a maximum sign face area of 12 inches by 24 inches. • Banners and other temporary, portable, and off-premises directional signs will be required to be maintained in good condition. Following action by the Committee, Ordinance No. 6263 is scheduled for review by the Public Works and Finance Committees and for possible City Council adoption on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Member Backus moved and Member Wagner seconded to forward Ordinance 6263 with revisions onto full Council. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 3-0 III. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Planning and Community Development Committee, Chair Norman adjourned the meeting at 7:07 p.m. APPROVED THIS I~ DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2009. Lyn orman, Chair enee S. Tobias, Planning Secretary Page 3