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Home My WebLink AboutCOW 2014-07-14 Item 4 - Public Hearing - Ordinance Amending Sign Code Relating to Non-Conforming Freeway Interchange SignsCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS - Initial ..,_ Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 07/14/14 CO 07/21/14 CO ❑ Motion Mtg Date / A Ordinance ❑ Bid Award Mtg Date ►1 Public Hearing ❑ Other Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date 7/21/14 Mtg Date 7/14/14 SPONSOR ❑ Council ❑ Mayor ❑ HR ITEM INFORMATION ITEM No. 4& 5.A. 37 STAFF SPONSOR: NORA GIERLOFF ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 7/14/14 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Freeway Interchange Signs CATEGORY /1 Discussion 7/14/14 ❑ Motion Mtg Date Resolution Mtg Date A Ordinance ❑ Bid Award Mtg Date ►1 Public Hearing ❑ Other Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date 7/21/14 Mtg Date 7/14/14 SPONSOR ❑ Council ❑ Mayor ❑ HR ❑ Finance ❑ Fire ❑ IT ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ P11- A DCD SPONSOR'S SUMMARY Based on being asked restrictions conforming feet for all direction at the June 23, 2014 Committee of the Whole Meeting, the Council is to conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance that would relax on what maintenance and repair work can be completed to an existing non- freeway sign and allow an increase in area up to 125 feet per face (250 square sides). REVIEWED BY ❑ CA &P Cmte ❑ F &S Cmte ❑ Transportation Cmte Cmte ❑ Arts Comm. ❑ Parks Comm. ❑ Planning Comm. & 6/23/14 COMMITTEE CHAIR: A COW Mtg. ❑ Utilities DATE: 6/9/14 RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR /ADMIN. COMMITTEE Department of Community Development COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $N /A $N /A $N /A Fund Source: N/A Comments: N/A MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 7/14/14 MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 7/14/14 Informational Memorandum dated July 3,2014 Ordinance in Draft Form 7/21/14 37 38 TO: City of Tukwila Jim Haggerton, Mayor INFORMATIONAL U��U��U� nn�n ��nn^nmn��n n��n��u~ nmo�~n�n��n�x��n��n�n Mayor Haggerton Committee of the Whole FROM: Jack Pace, Director BY: Nora Gierloff, Deputy DCD Director DATE: March 3, 2014, Updated June 3, 17, and July 3, 2014 SUBJECT: Sign Code Regulations - Freeway /nterchange Signs 4th Briefing Memo (Updated Following 6/23 COW Meeting) ISSUE Should sign code regulations prohibiting new and enlarged freeway interchange signs within the City be modified? BACKGROUND Atthe February 11, 2014 Community Affairs and Parks meeting, the owners of the Union 76 gas station at 13310 Interurban Avenue discussed their desire to see the regulations regarding freeway interchange signs modified. As part of an expansion to include a diesel fuel station on an adjacent parcel the owners want to reface and expand the non-conforming 200 square foot freeway interchange sign (100 sf per face) in a manner that is not permitted under the City's Sign Code. Their proposed sign would have had a total square footage of 488 square feet (244 sf per face). The|orgeStfneevvayinterchange3ignpennhtedunderthephOrGignCodevvas250Sf(125sf per face). Under the current Sign Code no new freeway interchange signs are permitted and existing ones may be refaced and have copy changes until August of 2015, provided the height and area of the sign remain unchanged. Any changes to the sign code must remain content neutral, meaning that we can no longer legally limit certain types of signs to specific types of businesses as in the previous freeway interchange sign regulations. CAP brought the issue back for further discussion on March 25, 2014 and then forwarded this matter to the June 9, 2014 Committee of the Whole for discussion without a recommendation. The COVV considered the options and asked staff to develop them further. Staif drafted some ordinance options and presented them at the June 23m COW. The consensus was to have a public hearing on an ordinance that would aUow expansions of the existing freeway signs up to 125 sf during the grace period. DISCUSSION The attached ordinance would relax the restrictions on what maintenance and repair work can be completed to an existing non-ccnforming freeway sign and allow an increase in area up to 125 feet per face (250 square feet for all sides). The sign would still be non-conforming and after August of 2015 changes to the freeway interchange sign would not be permitted and eventually the sign would be removed when the business changed or the sign was damaged. 40 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 At the June 9' COW meeting the Petersons indicated that a 125 sf sign face would be acceptable to them, Under this ordinance the four existing freeway interchange signs that are less than 125 square feet per face (250 square feet for all sides) would be permitted to enlarge their signs in conjunction with a reface or copy change. One option that was discussed but not included in the draft ordinance was an extension of the grace period during which refaces, copy changes and area increases would be permitted to non-conforming freeway signs. This would have the effect of allowing investment in freeway interchange signs and transitions to new businesses for a longer time, making it less likely that the signs would be removed over the long term. FINANCIAL IMPACT No direct costs other than staff time. RECOMMENDATION The Council is being asked to hold a public hearing on the attached ordinance at the July 14, 2014 Committee of the Whole meeting. A final ordinance could be ready for adoption at the July 21, 2014 Regular Council meeting. ATTACHMENTS Draft Ordinance Amending the Non-Conforming Provisions of the Sign Code VVA2014 Info Memos-Council\Freeway SignMerno_forCOVV.clocx FT AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO 2303 §10 (PART), AS CODIFIED AT TUKWILA MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 19.36.050, TO UPDATE THE REGULATIONS FOR FREEWAY INTERCHANGE SIGNS; 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 City Council held a properly noticed public hearing on July 14, 2014, to gather public input on the issue of non - conforming freeway interchange signs; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Ordinance 2303 §10 (part), as codified at Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) Section 19.36.050, "Existing Freeway Interchange Signs," is hereby amended to read as follows: W: Word Processing \Ordinances\Amend Sign Code re freeway interchange signs strike -thru 7 -3 -14 NG:bjs Page 1 of 3 41 19.36.050 Existing Freeway Interchange Signs Existing Ssigns classified as freeway interchange signs under the previous Sign Code are permitted to remain for a five year grace period starting from the effective date of this °Ordinance No. 2303 (August 24, 2010). During the grace period, freeway interchange signs may be enlarged to a maximum of 125 square feet per side, 250 square feet total, have unlimitedbe refaceds and have copy changes provided the area -, height; and location of the sign remain unchanged. Relocation or re- erection of the sign gracc period is not permitted. Application for a as sign permit is required for all sign face, area or copy changes to a freeway interchange sign. After the grace period has terminated; the sign is permitted to remain as -is indefinitely; however, compliancees with the Sign Code is triggeredrequired for by any relocation, re- erection, alteration, replacement or change in any way to the structure or sign panel /face /copy. Ordinary maintenance and repair of a sign shall be permitted without loss of non - conforming status if the cost of all maintenance and repair over a two -year period is less than 25 percent of the cost of replacing the sign. Section 2. Ordinance 2303 §10 (part), as codified at TMC Section 19.36.070, "Additional Signage Prohibited," is hereby amended to read as follows: 19.36.070 Additional Signage Prohibited No additional permanent building- mounted signage is permitted on a tenant space that contains a non - conforming building- mounted sign. No additional permanent freestanding signs are permitted on a premises that contains a non - conforming freestanding sign other than a sign that was classified as "freeway interchange" under the previous Sign Code. Section 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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. W: Word Processing \OrdinancesWmend Sign Code re freeway interchange signs strike -thru 7 -3 -14 NG:bjs 42 Page 2 of 3 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a Regular Meeting thereof this day of , 2014. ATTEST /AUTHENTICATED: Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM BY: Rachel Turpin, Assistant City Attorney Jim Haggerton, Mayor Filed with the City Clerk: Passed by the City Council: Published: Effective Date: Ordinance Number: W: Word Processing \OrdinancesWmend Sign Code re freeway interchange signs strike -thru 7 -3 -14 NG:bjs Page 3 of 3 43