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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-08 Sign RequirementsORDINANCE NO. 02-8 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING TITLE 13 OF THE COSTA MESA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SIGN REQUIREMENTS. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Title 13 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: a. Section 13-111 is amended to include the following definitions: "Changeable copy sign. A sign whose copy consists of non -electronic detachable lettering or numbers that must be manually installed, usually on a series of parallel tracks; including, but not limited to, service station price signs and theater marquees. Contiguous window area. Total surface area of a window or individual window panes separated only by'vertical or horizontal mullions. Convenience _sign. A sign, not larger than 9 square feet, providing directional information and designed to be viewed on site or adjacent to the site by pedestrians and/or motorists. The term convenience sign shall also include electronic time/temperature signs. Electronic changeable copy sign. A sign that uses video displays, lamps, fiber optics, light -emitting diodes (LED's) liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, or any other mechanical or light emitting medium to convey messages, movement, or animation imagery during or between messages. Mural or super graphic. A large image, picture, or design painted on or affixed to the exterior of a building or structure. A mural or super graphic is a sign only if it is related by language, logo, or imagery to the advertisement of any product or service or the identification of any business. Chapter VIII Signs General Provisions Painted wall sign. Any sign painted directly on the exterior surface of a building or structure, except awnings or canopies. (See "mural or super graphic"). Permanent window sign. A sign that is placed on or behind a window for a period of time in excess of 60 days. Paper or cardboard signs, or signs painted directly onto the surface of a window, are not considered permanent window signs, regardless of the duration of display. Temporary window sign. A non -illuminated sign placed on or behind a window for a period of time not in excess of 60 days for the purpose of advertising special sales, prices, products or services, including paper or cardboard signs, or signs painted directly onto the surface of a window." b. Section 13-112 is hereby amended to read as follows: "(a) Signs which incorporate any flashing, moving, or intermittent lighting; (i) Mechanical movement; (j) Signs which project above a parapet or the highest point of the roof; (k) Signs on public property;and (1) Electronic changeable copy signs, except theater marquees and time/temperature signs." Chapter VIII Signs General Provisions Section 13-115 is hereby amended to read as follows: TABLE 13-115. SIGN REGULATIONS PERMANENT SIGNS RESIDENTIAL ZONES COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES TOTAL SIGN AREA PER STREET FRONTAGE Residential uses: 1.0 sq. ft. per ft. of lot width 30 sq. ft. for sites less than 1.0 sq. ft per unit, not to exceed 90 sq. ft. + 0.5 sq. ft. per ft. of lot depth 1 acre. (25 sq. ft. minimum for sites with 4 or more units). 45 sq. ft. for sites of 1 Permitted non-residential uses: acre or more. 30 sq. ft. for sites less than 1 acre. 45 sq. ft. for sites of 1 acre or more. FREESTANDING SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes DEVELOPMENT 1. Must be located in landscaped planter equal to twice the sign area. STANDARDS 2. May not obstruct visibility for motorists or pedestrians at driveways or intersections. 3. May not obstruct visibility of legal signs on adjacent site(s). 4. Planning Division may require freestanding signs to incorporate street address if address on building is not visible from public streets: 6 inches high minimum in residential zones 8 inches high minimum in non-residential zones The address area, up to 6 sq. ft., is not counted against allowable sign area. Address must be integrated into the design of the sign and placed at such an elevation so as not to be obstructed by landscaping. 5. See Section 13-116 if located within 200 ft. of residentially -zoned property. MAXIMUM AREA 30 sq. ft. Total area of all freestanding signs may not exceed 50 % of total 15 sq. ft. for sites less than (Includes both on-site and neighborhood identification allowed sign area per street frontage. 1 acre. signs.) 30 sq. ft. for sites of 1 acre or more. MAXIMUM HEIGHT 7 ft. 25 ft. 7 ft. NUMBER & SEPARATION 150 ft. separation between freestanding signs on same site. ILLUMINATION Exterior, or interior with opaque background. No No flashing or blinking allowed. Exterior, or interior with flashing or blinking allowed. opaque background. No flashing or blinking allowed. VERTICAL CLEARANCE 8 ft. minimum clearance over pedestrian circulation areas. 16 ft. minimum clearance over parking and vehicular circulation areas. Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations TABLE 13-115 SIGN REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) PERMANENT SIGNS (continued) RESIDENTIAL ZONES - COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES FREEWAY -ORIENTED FREESTANDING SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Prohibited Yes Prohibited MAXIMUM AREA AND N/A For commercial properties of one N/A HEIGHT acre or more, within 300 feet of a freeway exit: One freeway -oriented sign may be allowed, not to exceed 230 sq. ft. and 32 ft. high. ILLUMINATION N/A No flashing or blinking N/A VERTICAL CLEARANCE N/A 8 ft. minimum clearance over N/A pedestrian circulation areas. 16 ft. minimum clearance over parking and vehicular circulation areas. Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations TABLE 13-115 SIGN REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) PERMANENT SIGNS (continued) RESIDENTIAL ZONES COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES BUILDING SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes MAXIMUM AREA Total area of all permanent signs (freestanding signs and building signs) may not exceed TOTAL SIGN AREA PER STREET FRONTAGE. See Section 13-116 for commercial or industrial signs located within 200 ft. of residentially -zoned property. ILLUMINATION Exterior, or interior with opaque background. No No flashing or blinking allowed. Exterior, or interior with flashing or blinking allowed. opaque background. No flashing or blinking allowed. NUMBER N/A Single tenant buildings: A maximum of three wall signs per N/A street frontage. Multi -tenant buildings: One wall sign per business on each street frontage. Exception: A tenant with more than 10,000 square feet of floor area in a multi -tenant building shall be permitted a maximum of three wall signs per business/street frontage. Buildings with more than 2 stories and 30 feet in height: No sign is permitted above the first floor of any building except for a single sign per street frontage on the uppermost portion of the building fascia identifying either the street address, name of the building, major tenant and/or logo. Street address up to 6 square feet per story shall not be counted toward allowable sign area. LOCATION Signs may only be attached to a building wall abutting a public street or on-site parking area serving the subject building, unless otherwise approved by the Planning Division. VERTICAL CLEARANCE Awning, canopy and projecting signs: 8 ft. minimum clearance over pedestrian circulation areas. 16 ft. minimum clearance over parking and vehicular circulation areas. Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations TABLE 13-115 SIGN REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) PERMANENT SIGNS (continued) RESIDENTIAL ZONES COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES MURALS AND SUPER GRAPHICS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Subject to approval by the Planning Division. The purpose of the Planning Division approval is to verify that it is not a sign. PAINTED WALL SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes Total area of all painted wall signs may not exceed 10% of total allowed sign area per street frontage. MAXIMUM AREA PERMANENT WINDOW SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes 1. 20% of contiguous window area maximum. MAXIMUM AREA 2. Window sign area in excess of the above maximum may be permitted if it can be shown that the merchandise offered for sale cannot be adequately displayed and, therefore, justifies substitution of additional window signage for merchandise display, subject to written approval by the Planning Division or Zoning Administrator. Total of permanent and temporary window sign area shall not exceed 50% of contiguous window area. CONVENIENCE SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes 1. 9 sq. ft. maximum per sign. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS 2. Not counted against allowable sign area. 3. Placement and height subject to approval of Planning Division. Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations TABLE 13-115 SIGN REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) . - TEMPORARY SIGNS .. RESIDENTIAL ZONES COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES CONSTRUCTION SIGNS PERMIT REQUIRED Yes 1. One per street frontage. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS 2. 64 sq. ft. maximum. 3. 16 ft. high maximum. 4. Must be removed within 1 year after installation, or within 30 days of final inspection, whichever occurs first. REAL ESTATE SIGNS (No permits are required.) ----------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ FOR SALE SIGNS 1. One per street frontage. 1. One per street frontage. 2. 5 sq. ft. maximum. 2. 32 sq. ft. maximum. 3. 6 ft. high maximum. 3. 12 ft. high maximum. ------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ OPEN HOUSE SIGNS 1. One per street frontage. Prohibited 2. 3 sq. ft. maximum. 3. 5 ft. high maximum. POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SIGNS 5 sq. ft. maximum per sign. Subject to Section 13-123. ON PRIVATE PROPERTY Subject to Section 13-123. PORTABLE SIGNS WITHIN THE Subject to Section 13-123.5. PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY TEMPORARY WINDOW SIGNS (No permits are required.) Prohibited 1. 20% of contiguous window area maximum. Prohibited 2. Window sign area in excess of the above maximum may be permitted if it can be shown that the merchandise offered for sale cannot be adequately displayed and, therefore, justifies substitution of additional window signage for merchandise display, subject to written approval by the Planning Division or Zoning Administrator. Total of permanent and temporary window sign area shall not exceed 50% of contiguous window area. 3. Time limit shall not exceed 60 days. Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations TABLE 13-115 SIGN REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) TEMPORARY SIGNS RESIDENTIAL ZONES COMMERCIAL ZONES INDUSTRIAL ZONES INSTITUTIONAL ZONES APARTMENT FLAGS 1. 1 per 60 ft. of lot frontage (minimum of 2). Prohibited (No permits are required.) 2. 15 sq. ft. maximum. 3. 18 ft. high maximum. 4. Must be maintained in good condition; removed or replaced if torn, faded or dirty. OTHER FLAGS AND PENNANTS Flags of a nation or the State displayed in an appropriate manner are allowed. Flags displaying products, logos and/or business names are prohibited. Pennants are prohibited. BALLOON SIGNS (less than 24 Prohibited Allowed, subject to the following: Prohibited inches) 1. May not extend beyond an (No permits are required.) Y y y property line or over any public right-of-way, regardless of wind conditions. 2. Must be securely anchored. 3. May not be. released into the air. 4. Metallic balloons are prohibited. INFLATABLE SIGNS (over 24 in.) Prohibited BANNERS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY (No permits are required.) 0.5 sq. ft. per unit. 0.5 sq. ft. per lineal foot of building frontage facing the street. MAXIMUM AREA Maximum area: 100 sq. ft. per site. Minimum entitlement: 25 sq. ft. per tenant. Maximum area: 75 sq. ft. per tenant. TIME LIMITS None DEVELOPMENT 1. The entire surface of the banner must be securely affixed to either a building wall of the business being advertised (the building wall must abut a public street STANDARDS or on-site parking area serving the business being advertised), or to the sign face of a freestanding sign. 2. May not be attached to any staff, pole, line, framing, vehicle or similar support. 3. May not project above roof. 4. Must be maintained in good condition; removed or replaced if torn, faded or dirty. 5. Limit one banner per tenant or building occupant on each street frontage maximum. 6. Banners are permitted only as a means of temporary advertisement, such as for new businesses, grand openings, or similar special events, and may not be used as permanent signs. EFFECTIVE DATE Banner restrictions and requirements shall become effective September 1, 2002. BANNERS WITHIN THE PUBLIC See Sec. 13-118 Street Banners. RIGHT-OF-WAY Chapter VIII Signs Sign Regulations d. Section 13-122 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 13-122. LOSS OF LEGAL NONCONFORMING STATUS (a) A legal nonconforming sign may lose this designation if: (1) The sign is removed or relocated for any period of time except to be replaced by a new sign of the same type which reduces the nonconformity by at least 50 percent; (2) The structure or size of the sign is altered in any way except to reduce its nonconformity by at least 50 percent; or (3) The sign is damaged or destroyed by any means to an extent of more than 50 percent of its total replacement cost. "(a) When a legal nonconforming sign loses this designation, it shall be brought into conformance with the provisions of this chapter or removed from the site within 90 days. "(b) Per Section 5491.1(e) of the Business and Professions Code, any amendment to Chapter VIII of Title 13 applies only to new on -premises advertising displays as defined in Business and Professions Code Section 5490. Sec. 13-122.1. ELECTRONIC CHANGEABLE COPY SIGNS Existing, legal nonconforming electronic changeable copy signs shall, no later than September 1, 2002, be modified so that no message or display shall contain movement or animation, nor be displayed for a duration of less than four seconds." Chapter VIII Signs Nonconforming Signs Section 2. Environmental Determination. The project has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the CEQA Guidelines, and the City's environmental procedures, and has been found to be exempt. Section 3. Inconsistencies. Any provision of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to affect the provisions of this Ordinance. Section 4. Severability. If any chapter, article, section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance, or the application thereof to any person, is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this Ordinance or its application to other persons. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each chapter, article, section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions of the application thereof to any person, be declared invalid or unconstitutional. No portion of this Ordinance shall supersede any local, State, or Federal law, regulation, or codes dealing with life safety factors. Section 5. Publication. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published and posted pursuant to the provisions of law in that regard and this Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its final passage. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of April, 2002. ATTEST: (� /� n -- Deputy City lerk of the City of Costa Mesa Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa APPROVED AS TO BORM GiCITY AT EY STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss CITY OF COSTA MESA ) I, MARY T. ELLIOTT, Deputy City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, hereby certify that the above and foregoing Ordinance No. 02-8 was introduced and considered section by section at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 1s' day of April, 2002, and thereafter passed and adopted as a whole at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 15th day of April, 2002, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Dixon, Monahan, Steel NOES: Robinson ABSENT: Cowan IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the City of Costa Mesa this 16th day of April, 2002. TConcil Deputy rk and ex -officio Clerk of the City of the City of Costa Mesa