HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2013-09-23 Item 5A - Ordinance - Sign Code AmendmentCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
Meeting Date
Prepared by
Ma 'r'e review
Council review
09/23/13
BM
[1] Motion
Mtg Date
El Resolution
Mtg Date
10/07/13
BM
Z Public Hear*
Mtg Date 9/23/13
E Other
Mtg Date
Mtg Date 10/7/13
SPONSOR J Council Mayor [1 HR Z DCD E Finance Lil Fire E IT FjP&R
1 Police
P147
SPONSOR'S THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WILL INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE AREA FOR WALL SIGNS IN
SUMMARY THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL CENTER/HEAVY (MIC/H) ZONE FROM THE CURRENT
LIMIT OF 150 SQUARE FEET TO 1500 SQUARE FEET. ADDITIONALLY, BUSINESSES IN THE
MIC/H ZONE WILL HAVE FLEXIBILITY REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF THE WALL SIGN
IN RELATION TO THE BUILDING'S ENTRANCE.
REVIEWED BY
El COW Mtg.
ITEM INFORMATION
ITEM No.
4&
5.A.
3
STAFF SPONSOR: NORA GIERLOFF
ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 9/ 23/13
AGENDA ITEM TITLE Increase in the allowable area for wall signs in the Manufacturing/Industrial/Heavy
(MIC/H) zone.
CATEGORY Discussion
Mtg Date 9/23/13
[1] Motion
Mtg Date
El Resolution
Mtg Date
14 Ordinance
E Bid Award
Mtg Date
Z Public Hear*
Mtg Date 9/23/13
E Other
Mtg Date
Mtg Date 10/7/13
SPONSOR J Council Mayor [1 HR Z DCD E Finance Lil Fire E IT FjP&R
1 Police
P147
SPONSOR'S THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WILL INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE AREA FOR WALL SIGNS IN
SUMMARY THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL CENTER/HEAVY (MIC/H) ZONE FROM THE CURRENT
LIMIT OF 150 SQUARE FEET TO 1500 SQUARE FEET. ADDITIONALLY, BUSINESSES IN THE
MIC/H ZONE WILL HAVE FLEXIBILITY REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF THE WALL SIGN
IN RELATION TO THE BUILDING'S ENTRANCE.
REVIEWED BY
El COW Mtg.
Cmte
14
CA&P Cmte
E F&S Cmte El] Transportation Cmte
E Parks Comm. 0 Planning Comm.
COMMITTEE CHAIR: EKBERG
E Arts Comm.
& 9/23/13
• Utilities
DATE: 8/26/13
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPONSOR/ADMIN.
COMMITTEE
Department of Community Development
Unanimous Approval; Forward to Committee of the Whole.
COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
$0 $0 $0
Fund Source: N/A
Comments: N/A
MTG. DATE
RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
09/23/13
MTG. DATE
ATTACHMENTS
09/23/13
Informational Memorandum dated 9/4/13
Ordinance in draft form
Informational Memorandum to Community Affairs and Parks, dated 8/21/13
Minutes from Community Affairs and Parks Committee meeting on 8/26/13
10/7/13
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City of Tukwila
Jim Haggerton, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Haggerton
Community Affairs and Parks
FROM: Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director
BY: Brandon Miles, Senior Planner
Courtney Johnson, Planning Intern
DATE: September 4, 2013
SUBJECT: Amendments to Title 19 "Sign Code"
Review of Draft Ordinance
ISSUE
Should businesses in the Manufacturing Industrial Center /Heavy (MIC /H) zone be permitted to
have a larger flush mounted wall signs?
BACKGROUND /DISCUSSION
On August 26, 2013, the Community Affairs and Parks Committee was provided a briefing on
proposed changes to the sign code regarding flush mounted wall signs in the MIC /H zone. Staff
recommended, and the Committee supported, amending the sign code to permit businesses in
the MIC /H zone to have larger wall signs and to modify the requirement regarding the need for a
public entrance. A draft Ordinance, which reflects the language supported by the Committee, is
included as attachment "A ". Additionally, a copy of staff's August 21, 2013 memo is also
included as attachment "B ".
During the Committee meeting there was discussion about whether businesses, specifically
Boeing, needed additional wall signage above their entrances. City staff reached out to Boeing,
which indicated that there was no need for additional signage above its entrances.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There will be a slight increase in permit fees as a result of adoption of this Ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the draft Ordinance be forward to tonight's Committee of the Whole
meeting for a public hearing and discussion by the full City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
-Draft Ordinance
-Staff memo dated August 21, 2013; and
- Minutes from August 26, 2013 Community Affairs and Parks Committee meeting.
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DRAFT
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, AMENDING ORDINANCE NOS. 2375
§8 AND 2303 §5, AS CODIFIED AT TMC SECTION 19.20.050.A,
TO UPDATE THE ALLOWABLE SIGN AREA FOR FLUSH -
MOUNTED WALL SIGNS WITHIN THE CITY'S MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIAL CENTER/HEAVY DISTRICT; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, regulation of signage is needed in order to preserve and protect the
public welfare, preserve and enhance the appearance of the built environment, control
visual clutter, protect private and public property, and ensure the orderly movement of
motorized and non - motorized forms of transportation; and
WHEREAS, on August 16, 2010, the Tukwila City Council adopted a new,
comprehensive Sign Code for the City of Tukwila, which is codified in Title 19 of the
Tukwila Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Tukwila recognizes that signs are an
important component of the built environment and assist in way finding, advertising and
personal expression for Tukwila businesses, property owners and residents; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to regularly update the City's regulations
regarding signage in order to respond to the needs of Tukwila businesses and to address
the ongoing changes in the urban landscape of the City; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Manufacturing Industrial Center /Heavy District is to
allow for heavy industry and bulk manufacturing, hence the need for massive buildings
with large wall areas; and these types of businesses are not likely to have public entrances
similar to commercial businesses located in the Southcenter area; and
WHEREAS, the City has received a request to modify the regulations for flush -
mounted wall signs within the Manufacturing Industrial Center /Heavy District; and
WHEREAS, on September 23, 2013, the Tukwila City Council held a public hearing
on the proposed ordinance;
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Page 1 of 3
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. TMC Section 19.20.050, Subparagraph A, Amended. Ordinance
Nos. 2375 §8 and 2303 §5, as codified at TMC Section 19.20.050, "Permanent Building -
Mounted Signs in Commercial /Industrial Zones," subparagraph A, are hereby amended
to read as follows:
A. Flush - Mounted Building Signs (Wall Signs).
1. Each separate tenant suite with an exterior public entrance is permitted to
have one flush- mounted building sign per exterior public entrance. In the MIC /H zone
no more than one flush mounted wall sign shall be permitted per cardinal
direction; regardless of the location of public entrances.
2. Buildings where multiple tenants share a common entrance may have one
flush- mounted building sign per exterior public entrance.
3. Wall signs may only be placed within the section of exposed building face
that qualifies for the placement of the building- mounted sign.
4. The area of the wall sign shall be a percentage of the area of exposed
building face where the sign is proposed to be displayed, as calculated per Table 2.
5. Wall signs may not extend above the top of the parapet or eave of the roof
of the wall on which they are located.
Table 2 — Allowable Message Area for Permanent Wall
Signs in Commercial and Industrial Zones
Area (LxH) of Exposed Building
Face (EBF) in Square Feet
Permitted Sign Area
0 -500
EBF x .05 or 20 square feet
501 -1,500
(EBF -500) x .04 + 25 square feet
1,501 -3,000
(EBF- 1,500) x .03 + 65 square feet
3,001 -5,000
(EBF- 3,000) x .02 + 110 square feet
Over 5,000 (except for buildings
150 square feet maximum size permitted
within the MIC /H District)
The additional sign allowances below shall only apply
o buildings located .
5,001 - 20,000
(EBF - 5,000) x .015 + 150 square feet
20 001 - 50,000
(EBF -20 000 x .015 + 375 s • uare feet
50,001- 80,000
(EBF- 50,000) x .015 + 825 square feet
80,001- 100,000
(EBF- 80,000) x .01 + 1,275 square feet
Over 100,000
1 500 s • uare feet maximum size • ermitted
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Page 2 of 3
(1) Any flush- mounted (wall) sign affixed to a building certified as LEED by the GBCI shall be
permitted an area increase of .5 percent of the permitted sign area from Table 2.
(2) A fuel canopy, as defined in this title, is permitted to install one flush - mounted building sign
(wall sign) on each separate elevation of the fuel canopy structure. The area of the sign
shall not exceed five square feet; illumination of the sign is permitted.
Section 2. Corrections by City Clerk or Code Reviser. Upon approval of the
City Attorney, the City Clerk and the code reviser are authorized to make necessary
corrections to this ordinance, including the correction of clerical errors; references to
other local, state or federal laws, codes, rules, or regulations; or ordinance numbering
and section /subsection numbering.
Section 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or
phrase of this ordinance or its application to any person or situation should be held to be
invalid or unconstitutional for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the
remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to any other person or situation.
Section 4. Effective Date. This ordinance or a summary thereof shall be published
in the official newspaper of the City, and shall take effect and be in full force five days
after passage and publication as provided by law.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at
a Regular Meeting thereof this day of , 2013.
ATTEST /AUTHENTICATED:
Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:
Shelley M. Kerslake, City Attorney
Jim Haggerton, Mayor
Filed with the City Clerk:
Passed by the City Council:
Published:
Effective Date:
Ordinance Number:
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�
K�i of Tukwila
Jim Haggerton, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Haggerton
Community Affairs and Parks Committee
FROM: Jack Pace, DCD Director
BY: Courtney M. Johnson, Planning Intern
Brandon Miles, Senior Planner
DATE: August 21'2D13
SUBJECT: Amendments to the Title 19 "Sign Code"
ISSUE
Should businesses in the Manufacturing Industrial Center/Heavy (MIC/H) zone be permitted to
have larger flush mounted wall signs?
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The placement ofwall signs within the City is governed by Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC)
192OO5O.A business iGpermdtedto have one vVaU sign for each public entrance that the
business ss uti|izen. Thua, if a business has four public entrances it would be permitted to have
four wall signs. The size of the wall signs is based on the total area of the wall where the wall
sign will be placed. A larger wall allows for a larger wall sign; however, most wall signs are
limited
to a maximum size of 150 square feet. Some larger properties can utilize the provisions
of the Master Sign Program to install a wall sign of up to 250 square feet.
The current approach for wall sign area limitations works well for retail commercial areas of the
City. such as the Southcenter area and Tukwila International Boulevard. MovVever, in areas that
have large buildings, and thus large walls, the current regulations severely limit the allowable
wall signage. Nearly all of these larger buildings are located in the City's MIC/H zone. A
business in the MIC/H zone, which has a wall area of 50,000 square feet, is only permitted
signage that occupies .3% of the wall area. Compare that to a business in the Southcenter area
that occupies 5.001 square feet, which is permitted to install a wall sign that occupies 2.99% of
the wall area.
The Boeing Company, a business that operates primarily in the City's MIC/H Zone, has
requested that the City amend the Sign Code to allow larger wall signs. Boeing is requesting the
change in order to reflect the fact that it, like other large business owners in the MIC/H zone,
occupies large buildings, with large wall areas. Boeing has also requested that the City modify
the requirement that links public entrances to placement of wall signs.
The purpose of the MIC/H zone is to allow for heavy industry and bulk monufmcturing, hence the
need for massive buildings with large wall areas. These types of businesses are likely to not
have public entrances similar to commercial businesses, such as those in the Southcenter area.
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
POLICY OPTIONS
Staff would like input from the City Council on whether the City should amend the Sign Cod8k}
address the request from Boeing. Staff has outlined two possible options be|ovv.
Option 1: No Change to the Existing Sign Code. Under this approach Boeing, as well as any
other building owners in the MIC/H area, would not be permitted to install a wall sign on a wall
that does not have a public entrance. If a public entrance is preoeDt, the size of the wall sign
could not exceed 150 square feet (250 square feet if a Master Sign Plan were approved).
Option 2: Amend the Sign Code to allow businesses in the MIC/H zone to have larger wall
signs on building faces without public entrances. Wall signs in the MIC/H zone would be
permitted up to 1.500 square feet in area for wall areas larger than 5.000 square feet by
adopting a new allowable Sign Area table as follows (This tabe would only apply in the MIC/H
Zone)
Area (LxH) of Exposed Building Face (EBF) in
Square Feet
Permitted Sign Area
5001-20.000
(EBF-5,000) X .015 +150 square feet
20.001-50'000
(EBF'2O.OU0)}(.D15+375 square feet
50.001'80.000
(EBF-5O'OOO) }(.O15+O25 square feet
80.001-100,000
(EBF-DO.00C) )(.01+1275 square feet
100.001 and above
1500 square feet max
The requirement to have a public entrance would aso not apply in the MIC/H zones. A busine s
would be permitted to have a total of four wall si ns; one for each cardinal direction, with only
one sign per direction,
FINANCIAL IMPACT
If option 2 is selected a small number of additional buildings will be permitted to have additional
signs and thus the City would see a slight increase in permit revenue.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Option 2. If the Committee is agraeob|e, staff will come back to the
Committee on September 23, 2013 with a draft Ordinance. Staffwould also like perm?ssion to
take the draft Ordinance to the Committee of the Whole for a public hearing and discussion that
same night.
ATTACHMENTS
None,
W:\2013 Info Memos-CouncillFlush Mounted Wall Signs, Increa mArea.,cloc
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City of Tukwila
Community Affairs and Parks Committee
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND PARKS COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes
August 26, 2013 — 5:15 p.m.
PRESENT
Councilmembers: Allan Ekberg, Chair; De'Sean Quinn and Kate Kruller
Staff: David Cline, Rick Still, Dave Johnson, Nora Gierloff, Stacy Macgregor, Courtney Johnson,
Kimberly Matej, Laurel Humphrey
Guests: Chuck Parrish, resident; Regis Costello, resident
CALL TO ORDER: Committee Chair Ekberg called the meeting to order at 5:16 p.m.
I. PRESENTATIONS
No presentations.
II. BUSINESS AGENDA
A. Community Activity Nutrition Network ( "I"CANN) Update
Staff presented an overview of "I "CANN, a new South King County multi -city collaborative aimed at
reducing the prevalence of obesity in kids and families. Councilmembers are invited to attend the
"Leadership Forum for a Healthier Generation" on September 12 at the Renton Community Center with
other area business and community leaders. The mission of "I "CANN emphasizes education and
outreach, and a free online tool for finding health resources and tracking goals is in development.
Committee members asked questions about resources and funding, and expressed interest in tracking this
program as it grows. An invitation to the Leadership Forum will be forwarded to the full Council.
INFORMATION ONLY.
B. Amplified Noise in City Parks Update
In response to recent concerns expressed by residents, staff provided an update on how the City is
addressing the problem of unauthorized amplified noise in City parks. Recent short-term efforts include
emphasizing the laws regarding noise to rental groups as well as the installation of temporary signs at the
picnic shelter in Joseph Foster Memorial Park. A photo of the temporary sign was distributed to
Committee members. While no complaints regarding amplified noise have been made since these actions
were taken, they do not address scenarios where amplified noise may be coming from areas in parks that
are not picnic shelters. More analysis is needed to determine which park users are likely to violate the
noise ordinance. Staff will also review amplified noise laws and policies in other cities. Further
recommendation or other updates on this topic will be presented to the Parks Commission and return to
the Committee at a future date. INFORMATION ONLY.
C. Amendment to Tukwila Municipal Code Title 19 - Sign Code
Staff is seeking Committee direction on whether or not to draft a proposed amendment to the Sign Code
to allow businesses in the Manufacturing Industrial Center — Heavy (MIC /H) to have larger wall signs on
building faces without public entrances. Under such a proposal, wall signs in MIC/H would be permitted
up to 1500 square feet in area for wall areas larger than 5000 square feet. In addition, the requirement to
have a public entrance would also not apply. This amendment would only apply to permanent signs in
the MIC/H zone, only impact a small number of buildings, and slightly increase permit revenue to the
City.
The proposal to amend the sign code is in response to a request from the Boeing Company. The current
code works well for retail commercial areas, but greatly limits the allowable wall signage for large heavy
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Community Affairs & Parks Committee Minutes August 26, 2013 — Page 2
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industry and bulk manufacturing businesses located in MIC /H. Committee members reviewed examples
of what signs under the proposal might look like. Committee Chair Ekberg requested that staff ask Boeing
if there is any need for a public entrance sign.
Committee members and staff discussed the proposal as well as other signage issues in the City, such as
sandwich board pros and cons and a desire to review business signage needs in Neighborhood
Commercial zones. Committee members agreed to further review and discuss the staff proposal to amend
the sign code as described. A draft ordinance will be brought to the September 23 Community Affairs
and Parks Committee for discussion. RETURN TO COMMITTEE.
III. MISCELLANEOUS
Committee members, staff and guests briefly discussed the marijuana zoning proposal on the agenda for
public hearing and discussion at the 7:00 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.
Next meeting: Monday, September 23, 2013 — 5:15 p.m. — Conference Room #3
Committee Chair Approval
Minutes by LH. Reviewed by NG.