HomeMy WebLinkAboutWorkshop No. 2
Workshop No.2
Inter-Com
DATE: AUGUST 28,2006
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: WORKSHOP - SIGNS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Planning Commission provide input to staff regarding the
preparation of amendments to the City's Sign Code pertaining to real estate signs, political
signs, and human arrow signs in the public right-of-way.
BACKGROUND
One of the objectives 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 premises signs in order to control sign proliferation.
The Sign Code also aims to ensure that all signs are inherently safe and do not pose a
hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
The City's current Sign Code prohibits human arrow signs, but allows off premises real
estate and political signs to be placed in the public right of way. Although the size,
duration, and placement of real estate and political signs are regulated, the current
standards do not limit the number of these signs allowed in the public right of way.
During the past two years the number of signs posted on public property has increased,
causing significant blight. The issue is difficult to address because real estate and
political signs are not prohibited nor limited.
During the past two years City staff has removed thousands of real estate and political
signs that did not meet the City's Sign regulations. In addition, City staff met with a
group of realtors on April, 28, 2004, and May 09, 2005, to discuss the current Sign Code
and to encourage compliance. The City's education and enforcement efforts have
brought most real estate agents into substantial compliance with the Sign Code, but
there are a number of main thoroughfares in the City that are frequently lined with
dozens of real estate signs posted in the right of way. In fact, violators of the sign code
have paid thousands of dollars to the City in sign removal fees.
City staff has contacted a number of cities and has found that many local cities prohibit
signs in the public right of way. These cities also generally limit the number of signs
allowed per street frontage on private property. The survey results are shown in
Attachment A.
Planning Commission Workshop
August 28, 2006
Page 2
Because the regulation of human arrow signs presents more complex issues related to
the exercise of speech in streets and public rights-of-way, the issues and alternatives
related to human arrow signs are presented separately from real estate and political
signs in the following discussion.
DISCUSSION
The following discussion outlines issues and alternatives related to the City's existing
requirements and proposed standards for off-premises real estate, political, and human
arrow signs.
Current Issues and Alternatives - Off-premises Real Estate and Political Signs
ISSUE SOLUTION OR AL TERNA TIVE
1. Prohibit open house signs in the public
Proliferation of real estate open house right of way and easements.
signs. 2. Prohibit open house signs in the public
right of way along major and primary
arterials.
3. Restrict the locations of open house
signs to within a specified distance of
required turns or intersections.
4. Restrict the locations of open house
signs to within a specified distance of
street entrances to residential tracts.
5. Allow a maximum of one sign per street
frontage.
6. Define real estate open house signs and
include the applicable regulations in a
separate category.
7. Prohibit open house signs for open
houses outside of Tustin.
8. Limit the total number of open house
signs per open house that are within the
public right of way.
1. Prohibit political signs in the public right
Proliferation of political signs. of way and easements.
2. Administer a fee for all signs not
removed by the ten-day removal deadline.
3. Require that candidates with sians
Planning Commission Workshop
August 28, 2006
Page 3
remove any debris caused by their signs.
4. Require that all signs are staked in the
ground.
1. Prohibit open house signs in the public
Length of time open house signs are right of way and easements.
posted. 2. Set new hours for sign posting from
9am- 6 p.m. The current time is sunrise to
sunset
3. Allow signs to be posted up to 1 hour
before and 1 hour after the conclusion of
the open house.
1. Prohibit open house signs in the public
Real estate agents using signs to right of way and easements. Agents will
advertise their businesses and increase not have an outlet to advertise themselves.
name recognition. 2. Require all signs to be generic and
uniform. There will be no incentive to post
an excessive number of signs.
3. Limit the number of signs allowed in the
public right of way and easements.
1. Require all open house signs to be
Real estate agents using the City to generic. Feuding agents will not be able to
diminish competition. target each other and make frivolous
complaints.
2. Make the Sign Code easier to
understand by developing a handout for
realtors. It will be subject to less scrutiny
and varying interpretations. Competing
agents will not have an incentive to report
their competition to code enforcement
staff.
1. Require all signs to be generic. Agents
Frustrated real estate agents confronting will not feel they are at a competitive
City Staff. disadvantage as when their customized
signs were removed.
2. Make the Sign Code easier to
understand by developing a handout for
realtors. Often agents feel they are in
compliance because their Code
interpretations differ from staff
interpretations.
Planning Commission Workshop
August28,2006
Page 4
1. Add a definition of "open house" to the
Unclear definition of open house. City Code and require that an open house
sign be posted only when the house is
open and available for inspection.
1. Code could allow some name
Real estate agents reliance on signs in the recognition but not on major
public right of way. (nonresidential) streets. On smaller
interior (residential) streets signs could
identify the broker or agent.
2. Code could differentiate between public
and private streets. Real estate signs on
public property could be generic, signs on
private property could be realtor-specific.
3. Make no changes to existing Sign Code.
1. Limit the number of political signs a
Political candidates reliance on signs in candidate may place in the public right of
the public right of way. way.
2. Make no changes to existing Sign Code.
1. Reduce the types of signs and their
Staff time dedicated to sign enforcement. locations to decrease the amount of field
time dedicated to sign issues.
2. A more definitive sign code will reduce
the amount of time spent in explaining the
correct ways to post a sign.
Current Issues and Alternatives - Off-premises Human Arrow Signs
The City's Sign Code prohibits moving signs, such as human arrow signs. Because of
issues related to the exercise of speech (which includes signs), the enforcement of this
prohibition is questionable. To provide for some enforceable regulation of these types of
signs, content neutral and objective criteria related to size, height, number, location,
physical attribute and perhaps overt conduct could be included in'the City's Sign Code.
ISSUE SOLUTION OR ALTERNATIVE
1. Prohibit human arrow signs in the public
Proliferation of human arrow signs. right of way and easements.
Planning Commission Workshop
August 28, 2006
Page 5
2. Prohibit human arrow signs in the public
right of way within 100 feet of an
intersection.
3. Allow human arrow signs on private
property only.
1. Reduce the allowable size of a human
Sign Clutter arrow sign.
2. Allow human arrow signs on private
property only.
1. Prohibit human arrow signs in the public
Distraction to motorists right of way within 100 feet of an
intersection.
1. Reduce the types of signs and their
Staff time dedicated to sign enforcement. locations to decrease the amount of field
time dedicated to sign issues.
CONCLUSION
City staff is in the process of preparing a comprehensive update to the City's Sign Code
and is desirous of receiving some general direction from the Planning Commission
regarding human arrow signs, political signs, and real estate open house signs.
Based on the input received from the Planning Commission, staff will prepare the draft
amendments to the City's Sign Code. If amendments to the City's regulations regarding
real estate signs are proposed, staff will schedule a workshop with representatives from
the real estate industry.
Once staff has gathered input from the various interest groups, the draft Sign Code
Amendments will be scheduled for public hearings to be held by the Planning Commission
and City Council.
S:\Cdd\PCREPORT\Workshop Sign Code Amendment Scott.doc
ATTACHMENT A
Real Estate Open House Sign Surveyl
Political Campaign Sign Survey
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