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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 1359 ORDINANCE NO. 1359 AN ORDINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BALDWIN PARK ADDING SECTION 153.170.107 TO THE BALDWIN PARK MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PROGRAMS WHEREAS, signs located within the City can provide a reliable means of advertising for a business, they also can be detrimental to the safety, aesthetics and general welfare of the community; WHEREAS, owners of commercial developments, at times, experience a hardship given current sign development standards given certain irregularities with the site, including the scale and size of buildings, or limited site visibility; WHEREAS, the creation of a comprehensive sign program creates a unified and consistent architectural theme; WHEREAS, a sign program improves the aesthetics of the community by providing an incentive and latitude in the design and display of multiple signs, and; WHEREAS, the overall intent of a comprehensive sign program is to provide the means for the flexible application of sign regulations in order to provide incentive and latitude in the design and display of multiple signs and to achieve, while not circumventing, the intent subchapter 153.170 relating to city appearance, traffic safety hazards, on-site signage, communication and to protect investment and quality of life. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Baldwin Park does hereby ordain as follows: SECTION 1. The foregoing recitations are hereby adopted by the City Council as findings. Based on those findings, the City Council determines the public health, safety and general welfare of the City of Baldwin Park, its residents, property owners, businesses and visitors can be enhanced by amending the Baldwin Park Municipal Code (BPMC) to allow comprehensive sign programs; and it is in the best interest of the community to amend the BPMC accordingly. SECTION 2. Based on the foregoing findings and determinations, the BPMC is amended to add Section 153.170.107, to read in its entirety as follows: "Section 153.170.107 Comprehensive Sign Programs A. Purpose. The purpose of a comprehensive sign program is to integrate all of a nonresidential or mixed use projects signs with the overall site design and the structures' design into a unified architectural statement. A comprehensive sign Ordinance 1359- Page 2 program provides a means for the flexible application of sign regulations in order to provide incentive and latitude in the design and display of multiple signs and to achieve, not circumvent, the purpose of this subchapter. Approval of a comprehensive sign program may modify the standards provided in this subchapter as to sign number, size, height, illumination, location, orientation, or other aspects of signs within the limits of this section. B. Applicability. The approval of a comprehensive sign program shall be required whenever any of the following circumstances exist: 1. Whenever the floor area is in excess of 25,000 square feet; 2. Whenever five or more separate commercial or industrial tenant spaces are present on the same site; 3. Whenever the City Planner determines that a comprehensive sign program is needed because of special project characteristics (e.g., the size of proposed signs, limited site visibility, the location of the site relative to other lots, buildings, or streets, etc.). C. Approval Authority and Limitation. The Planning Commission shall be the review authority for a comprehensive sign program. D. Application Requirements. A sign program application for a comprehensive sign program shall include all information and materials required by the Planning Division for a Sign Program Review including a filling fee. Said fee shall be established by resolution of the City. The applicant shall still be required to obtain applicable sign permits and pay the related fee. E. Standards. A comprehensive sign program shall comply with the following standards: 1. The proposed sign program shall comply with the purpose and intent of this subchapter; 2. The proposed signs shall enhance the overall development, be in harmony with, and relate visually to other signs included in the comprehensive sign program, to the structures and/or developments they identify, and to surrounding development when applicable; 3. The sign program shall address all signs, including permanent, temporary, and exempt signs; 4. The sign program shall accommodate future revisions that may be required because of changes in use or commercial tenants; Ordinance 1359 - Page 3 5. The sign program shall comply with the standards of subchapter 153.170, except that deviations are allowed with regard to sign area, total number, location, and/or height of signs to the extent that the comprehensive sign program will enhance the overall development and will more fully accomplish the purposes and intent of this subchapter; 6. Approval of a comprehensive sign program shall not authorize the use of signs prohibited by this subchapter; and 7. Review and approval of a comprehensive sign program shall not consider the signs' proposed message content. F. Findings. In order to approve a comprehensive sign program the following findings shall be made: 1. The comprehensive sign program complies with the purpose of this subchapter, and the Baldwin Park Design Guidelines; 2. Proposed signs enhance the overall development and are in harmony with other signs included in the plan with the structures they identify and with surrounding development; 3. The comprehensive sign program contains provisions to accommodate future revisions that may be required because of changes in use or tenants; and 4. The comprehensive sign program complies with the standards of this subchapter, except that flexibility is allowed with regard to sign area, number, location, and/or height to the extent that the signs proposed under the comprehensive sign program will enhance the overall development, achieve superior quality design, and will more fully accomplish the purposes of this subchapter. G. Revisions to Comprehensive Sign Programs. The Community Development Director may approve revisions to a comprehensive sign program if the intent of the original approval is not affected. Revisions that would substantially deviate from the original approval shall require the approval of a new/revised comprehensive sign program by the Planning Commission." SECTION 3. This ordinance shall go into affect and be in full force and operation from and after thirty (30) days after its final reading and adoption. SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and shall cause a copy of the same to be published in a manner prescribed by law. Ordinance 1359- Page 4 PASSED AND APPROVED ON THE Lti day of ihairaW2013 amedia MANUEL • A !, MAYOR ATTEST: ALE' AND' • AVILA, CITY CLERK Ordinance 1359-Page 5 STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss: CITY OF BALDWIN PARK I, ALEJANDRA AVILA, City Clerk of the City of Baldwin Park, do hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council on/Vpyeml/.r (P , 2013. Thereafter, said Ordinance No. 1359 was duly approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on Nodtw & 20, SO13 by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBER: Mayor Pro Tem Monica Garcia, Mayor Manuel Lozano, Ricardo Pacheco, Susan Rubio NOES: COUNCILMEMBER: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBER: ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBER: Marlen Garcia. A ?A- ALEJAND ALA, CITY CLERK