HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 Sign Code UpdateITEM #4
Inter-Com
DATE: JANUARY 8, 2008
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: SIGN CODE UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
One objective of the City's sign regulations is to maintain and enhance the quality of the
City's appearance. This objective is achieved by avoiding sign clutter, promoting
uniformity, and limiting off-premise signs in order to control sign proliferation. The Sign
Code also ensures that all signs are inherently safe and do not pose a hazard to
pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
During 2005 and 2006, City staff removed thousands of real estate, political, and other
temporary signs that did not comply with the City's sign regulations. In addition, City
staff spent significant time meeting with realtors, representatives from the Chamber of
Commerce, and other professionals to discuss sign code violations and to encourage
voluntary compliance.
In response to community concerns, the Tustin Planning Commission considered an
amendment to the City's sign regulations in November 2006 and March 2007. The
Tustin City Council concurred with the Planning Commission's recommendations and
approved Code Amendment 06-005 in April 2007, which amended the Tustin Sign Code
and primarily affected signs in the public right of way, including real estate open house
signs, political signs, and human signs. Less significant changes included revised
definitions, revised hearings, a revised appeals procedure, larger permitted banner
signs for some freeway-facing buildings and the addition of a permitted sign type:
temporary signs for nonprofit organizations. The most significant amendments are
summarized as follows:
Real Estate Open House Signs
• Prohibited between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
• Only allow open house signs within 25 feet and 300 feet of a street intersection.
• Require open house signs located in the public parkway area and adjacent City
landscape easements to be generic.
Planning Commission Report
Sign Code Update
Page 2
• Generic signs may be any color(s), but must contain a directional arrow with the
text "Open House" and must feature the address of the open house in letters
between two (2) and four (4) inches in height.
• Generic signs must feature the responsible party's information on the sign within
a maximum area of ten (10) square inches.
• The limitation of providing directions only to open houses in Tustin was expanded
to include open houses in the entire Tustin Sphere of Influence (Tustin and a
portion of unincorporated Orange County).
Political Signs
• The allowable time period for the posting of political signs in the public right-of-
way was changed from ninety (90} days to no more than forty-five (45) days prior
to the election and no more than five (5) calendar days after the election.
• The number of days for abandonment of political signs was changed from ten
(10) calendar days after an election to five (5) calendar days after an election.
• Provisions regarding political signs and protected speech signs were further
clarified.
Human Signs
• Prohibit within 200 feet of any street intersection.
• Prohibit signs that may be held to no larger than three (3) square feet in size.
• Prohibit human signs that block the visibility of traffic control devices or signals.
• Require human signs on public sidewalks to yield to the passage of pedestrians.
• Prohibit spinning, twirling, swinging, or gyrating.
Since adoption, the City's education and enforcement efforts have been able to bring
most signs into compliance with the Sign Code. Prior to adoption of the new code,
Code Enforcement Officers would routinely remove between 20-25 real estate signs per
weekend. Following adoption of the new sign code revisions and some additional Code
Enforcement outreach, Code Enforcement Officers now typically remove between 5-8
real estate signs per weekend. Code Enforcement staff has also seen about an eighty
percent decrease in citizen complaints regarding real estate signs since the new code
revisions.
Staff will be available at the meeting to answer any questions regarding this matter and
will provide the Planning Commission with a visual presentation.
d Ste
ode Enforcement Officer
Elizabeth A. Binsack
Community Development Director
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