Except as otherwise provided in this title, no sign shall be placed, maintained or altered until a sign precise plan has been filed and approved by the community development director or designee and a sign permit for the same has been issued by the building official. Signs regulated under master sign programs shall be governed by Chapter 17.20 of this code. Sign permits for individual signs complying with approved master sign program standards shall be required to be obtained prior to installation; precise plan review applications shall not be required.
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993)
All sign plans shall be filed with the community development department with a filing fee as established by resolution of the city council. The application shall be accompanied by all information deemed necessary by the department to review the application, including but not limited to site plan, elevations, sections, details, structures, colors and materials, letter style, illumination, manufacturing and maintenance specifications, and any information necessary to ensure compliance with this code.
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993; Ord. 883 § 7, 1996)
A. 
The community development director or designee shall review precise plan application for conformance with the city's general plan, zoning laws, applicable specific plan regulations and the criteria outlined in Section 17.12.040. In order to complete the process the applicant may be required to clarify, amplify, revise, correct or otherwise supplement the information required for the application.
B. 
Within thirty calendar days after filing of the application the community development director or designee shall determine in writing the completeness of the application. If determined incomplete, the application shall only be determined complete after receipt of the supplemental information. Failure of the applicant to provide the requested revised materials within one year shall constitute denial of the application.
C. 
The application shall be reviewed and a written decision by the community development director or designee made within thirty days after the determination of completeness.
D. 
If supplemental information is requested, the decision of the community development director or designee shall be made thirty days after the applicant submits the information.
E. 
The decision of the community development director or designee, together with the findings of fact, shall be made in writing and shall be kept on file with the community development department. A copy of the decision shall be mailed to the applicant and to any person who has made a written request for such notice. The director's decision shall be final five days thereafter, unless the decision is appealed to the city council or a member of the city council requests a review of the decision.
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993)
Signs shall comply with the following design criteria and requirements, in conjunction with Chapter 17.20 of this code:
A. 
Signs and sign structures shall harmonize with the architectural character and scale of the subject buildings and surroundings.
B. 
All signs per Section 17.08.020 shall be calculated as being part of the total permitted sign size or sign area, with the exception stated in Section 17.08.330.
C. 
Existing ground signs within one hundred fifty feet of any proposed ground sign shall be shown. Ground signs shall not unreasonably interfere with vehicular line of sight or endanger cyclist or pedestrian safety. Signs shall not resemble traffic-control devices. Ground signs shall be legible at normal driving speeds.
D. 
Ground signs shall be integrated into the project landscaping by use of decorative walls, river rock, trellis, vines, trees, shrubs and plant materials. Ground signs shall be shown on project landscape plans. Irrigation, berming, plant materials, and other landscape components shall be shown. Ground signs shall be low profile and in character and scale with the development.
E. 
Internal illumination is preferred; if external illumination is used, concealed or decorative fixtures shall be approved the director.
F. 
Large, flat areas of plexiglass shall be avoided. Encouraged are the use of individual illuminated letters, natural materials, logos and low-profile ground signs in character and scale with the development.
G. 
Signs shall be consistent with the La Verne Sign Guidelines (adopted September, 1993).
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993)
A. 
In approving the sign precise plan the community development director or designee shall be empowered to grant its approval upon conditions deemed necessary to meet the intent of this chapter, general plan, zoning and applicable specific or master sign plan.
B. 
Sign precise plan approval shall expire one year from the date on which approval was final. The community development director may grant an extension of the sign precise plan for a period not exceeding one year, providing that he finds there has been no change in the conditions of, or findings, for sign precise plan approval.
C. 
A written request for time extension may be filed, if received by the community development director not less than thirty days or more than forty-five days prior to the sign precise plan expiration date.
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993)
A. 
To grant sign precise plan approval, the community development director or his or her designee must find from the facts presented that the following circumstances exist:
1. 
The sign(s) is/are consistent with all applicable provisions of law, including but not limited to the general plan, specific plan, zoning and subdivision ordinances and the La Verne Sign Guidelines (adopted September, 1993).
2. 
The sign(s) conforms to all applicable master plans, variances, conditional use permits, master sign programs and other discretionary acts of the city of La Verne.
3. 
The sign(s) incorporate(s) architectural and landscape components sufficient to reduce mass, bulk and linearity of the sign(s).
4. 
All nonconforming, illegal, or amortized signs have been or will be removed before approval becomes effective.
B. 
The community development director or designee may determine that one or more of the above findings are not applicable by so specifying in the written findings.
C. 
The burden of proof to establish findings of fact pursuant to subsection A of this section shall rest solely with the applicant. The application shall contain a written statement outlining any fact or arguments in support of the sign precise plan which the applicant desires to make. The applicant's failure to provide written documentation shall constitute sufficient grounds for precise plan denial.
D. 
The community development department shall deny any sign precise plan if it cannot conclusively establish that any one or more of the required findings is present or not applicable. The decision shall be documented in the written determination, including substantive explanation of its reasons for denial.
E. 
Following denial, no application for the same or substantially the same sign, shall be filed for one year from the date the denial becomes final, unless the denial was made without prejudice.
F. 
Signs and sign structures shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 17.20 of this code.
(Ord. 855 § 2, 1993)