18.29.550 Comprehensive or Special Purpose Sign Plan

A. Purpose: A Comprehensive or Special Purpose sign plan for a proposed or existing development may be approved by the planning commission with the granting of a conditional use permit. 1. The purpose of a Comprehensive Sign Plan is to provide for the establishment of criteria for signs that are tailored to a specific development or location, and which may vary from specific provisions of this chapter. The intent of this section is to provide for flexible sign criteria that promote superior design through architectural integration of the site, buildings and signs. 2. A Special Purpose Sign Plan is intended for unique properties located at strategic areas of the city. The plan for such locations must involve signage that offers a significant portion of the space or time for public service messages. B. Content of Plan: The plan shall include the location, size, height, type of illumination, landscaping, time of placement and/or illumination, and orientation of all proposed signs for the development, either permanent or temporary. The plan shall incorporate commonality elements without severely inhibiting variety and business identity and shall include specifics on size, type, location, height and other factors. C. Review: The Planning Commission shall review the plan with the following guidelines: 1. Permanent freestanding signs for a shopping center, building complex or subdivision signs may be considered where the design and scale is compatible with the size and scale of the project. 2. Such signs shall be located in a suitable landscaped area in keeping with the scale of the sign and project. 3. The number and size of signs permitted shall be at the discretion of the planning commission based on the entryways to the project, the street frontage of the project, the orientation of the buildings within the project, visibility of project components, number of projected tenants and buildings, and compatibility with city design standards. 4. The type of illumination shall be at the discretion of the planning commission, but in no event shall the provisions of the comprehensive sign plan violate the lighting standards of this chapter. a. In addition to the permitted business signs, electronic message signs, whether as a reader board, changeable copy area or electronic message center, in conjunction with a regular shopping center sign, may be considered. No such device shall exceed fifty percent of the total sign copy area of the sign to which attached. 5. Basis of Approval: A Comprehensive or Special Purpose Sign Plan containing elements which exceed the permitted height, area and number of signs specified in this ordinance, may be approved by the planning commission only upon finding that: a. The development site contains either: 1) unique or distinctive characteristics, in terms of physical scale, topography, land use, architectural design or historical significance; or 2) the development contains distinguishing features that represent a clear variation from single lot conventional development, such as a shopping center, building complex, a planned residential unit development or a condominium. b. The proposed signs incorporate special design features such as structural elements, logos, emblems, murals or statuaries that are integrated with the site and building architecture. c. The proposed overall development must contain multiple buildings or be a unique location. (Ord.2009-6, dated 5/12/09)