Outdoor advertising signs and outdoor advertising structures (hereinafter referred to as "signs") shall not be permitted in the city except in the following cases and under the following conditions.
(Prior code § 22.4 (part))
Signs not exceeding six square feet in total display area pertaining only to the prospective sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which displayed are permissible outdoor advertising.
(Prior code § 22.4(a))
Signs not exceeding one square foot in area displaying the names only of the properties or in the premises upon which displayed or of the owner or occupant thereof or the address of the premises are permissible outdoor advertising.
(Prior code § 22.4(b))
Signs not exceeding forty square feet in area, advertising the sale of subdivisions of five or more lots and located thereon; providing, that not more than one such sign be located at each major approach to the subdivision; and, provided further, that the display of such signs shall be limited to a six-month period. At the expiration of such fixed period of time, the applicant may request a further extension of time, otherwise the sign shall be removed. When the fixed period of time for display has expired and the sign has not been removed, the city may enter upon the premises upon which such sign is located and remove such sign at no liability to the city and at the expense of the owner.
(Prior code § 22.4(c))
One sign not exceeding forty square feet in area, announcing the name and character of any nonresidential building under construction. Such sign shall be displayed only after the issuance of a building permit and shall be removed prior to final inspection of the building.
(Prior code § 22.4(d))
Directional or informational signs of a public or quasi-public nature, erected and maintained by any official or other civic body or group, except those official signs erected under provisions of the police powers, which are exempt from the provisions of this chapter, shall be governed by the following conditions to use:
(1)
Approval by director of community development or his/her designee;
(2)
Permanent directional or informational signs may be erected and shall be only of such sizes as are necessary to best suit the particular purpose and locations, based upon a finding of suitability made by the director of community development or his/her designee in each case, but no sign shall exceed twenty square feet in area for each approach or be greater in any single dimension than six feet;
(3)
Temporary directional or informational signs, which shall not exceed eighteen square feet in area or six feet in any single dimension, may be permitted on the condition that the applicant obtain a use permit in each case under the terms and conditions and findings required by this title as such ordinance pertains to the issuance of use permits except that no fee shall be charged, and that such temporary signs shall be removed by and at the cost of the applicant under expiration of such permit.
(Ord. 838 § 1 (part), 1992; Prior code § 22.4(e))
Signs or outdoor advertising structures shall be permitted only on property located in nonresidential land use districts and occupied by nonresidential uses. Such signs or outdoor advertising structures shall pertain solely to uses permitted and actually conducted on the property where located and shall be attached to the building within which such use is conducted or attached to the ground of the parcel of land on which such use is conducted; provided, that for each occupancy:
(1)
All such signs shall be approved by the director of community development or his/her designee.
(2)
Such signs will not exceed in total display area, measured in square feet, the ratio of total display area to lot primary frontage as shown on the attached graph, entitled "Figure No. 1," incorporated herein, and made a part of this chapter. The maximum display area permitted for any lot, regardless of the number of uses or tenants housed on a single lot, is one hundred (100) square feet. Notwithstanding the above, the one hundred (100) square foot maximum shall not apply to lots located within the ECR/D-SP zoning district with primary frontage along El Camino Real, which may be permitted larger total display areas, subject to planning commission approval of a master sign program, consistent with the following formulas:
(A)
For nonresidential uses, the maximum display area permitted for a lot with frontage along El Camino Real shall be determined by the formula used in Figure No. 1 (30' + ((Frontage Length – 10') x (8/7))) without regard to the one hundred (100) square foot maximum. For any additional signage area authorized pursuant to this exception, the following standards shall also apply:
(i)
Any individual sign shall be limited to a maximum of fifty (50) square feet, and the total area of signage for a single project shall be limited to a maximum of one thousand (1,000) square feet per frontage (excluding any additional signage allocation for project identification, directional signage, or other signage allowed pursuant to subsection (9) of this section); and
(ii)
For buildings with a mixture of office and other commercial uses, the total display area of signs at the building top parapet level of a building on any frontage shall be limited to one-half (1/2) square foot of signage for each linear foot of frontage. For purposes of this section, "parapet" shall mean a low wall along the edge of a roof extending above the level of such roof.
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(3)
In the case of parcels of land having secondary frontage, signs may be located on such frontage; provided, that the total sign area thereon shall not exceed one-half (1/2) the maximum sign area allowed by Figure No. 1 for such secondary frontage; and further provided, that subject to planning commission approval of a master sign program, for any parcel within the ECR/D-SP zoning district with frontage on a street other than El Camino Real, the maximum total sign area on that frontage shall not exceed the formula of (0.5 x (30' + ((non-ECR Frontage – 10') x 8/7))) without regard to the one hundred (100) square foot maximum (fifty (50) square feet on secondary frontages) that applies in zoning districts other than the ECR/D-SP zoning district. The additional limitations on signage at the building top parapet level pursuant to the exception set forth in subsection (2) of this section shall also apply to such secondary frontage signage.
(4)
Signs shall not project more than one foot above the face of the structure to which attached except as provided in subsection (8) of this section, signs shall not extend beyond the property line more than one foot; provided, that signs not to exceed the area allowances cited above may be placed on the front of the facia of a marquee if such is constructed as part of the building.
(5)
All signs attached to buildings except suspended marquee signs as cited in subsection (4) of this section, shall be placed parallel to the structure containing the pertaining use; provided, that nonparallel signs projecting not more than one foot beyond the property line may be permitted, subject to approval by the director of community development or his/her designee.
(6)
Freestanding signs may be placed within required setback or yard areas, in which case they may be either parallel or substantially at right angles to the right-of-way upon which the use fronts. If such signs are placed substantially at right angles to such right-of-way, the maximum display area provided in Section 16.92.070 may be utilized for each approach to the subject sign.
(7)
No sign shall be animated by means of flashing or traveling lights, moving or rotating parts or any other method causing a nonstationary condition.
(8)
Signs Under Canopies or Marquees. Signs placed under canopies or marquees shall meet the following requirements:
(A)
The sign may have a double face.
(B)
The sign shall be at right angles to the wall of the building or property line and must not project beyond the marquee.
(C)
The sign shall be rigidly fastened.
(D)
A clearance of seven feet four inches shall be maintained over the sidewalk or finish grade directly below the sign.
(E)
The sign area shall not be considered part of the maximum allowable for the property concerned.
(F)
The sign dimension shall not exceed one foot by three feet or three square feet in area per face of sign.
(9)
Within the ECR/D-SP zoning district, any project shall be entitled to install signage identifying the name of the project. The display area of such project identification signage shall not count against the overall allowable display area which display area is calculated pursuant to subsections (2) and (3) of this section; provided, that the project identification signage is approved pursuant to a master sign program. The master sign program shall be approved by the planning commission pursuant to the provisions of subsection (11) of this section. For purposes of this section "project" shall mean a development, including a building, or group of buildings, and associated open areas, designed and managed under common ownership and/or control, but shall not mean tenants of the development and/or building.
(10)
Within the ECR/D-SP zoning district, safety and directional signage shall be exempt from the limits on signage display area, which display area is calculated pursuant to subsections (2) and (3) of this section; provided, that the safety and directional signage is approved pursuant to a master signage program. The master sign program shall be approved by the planning commission pursuant to the provisions of subsection (11) of this section. For purposes of this section, "safety and directional signage" shall mean signage providing information on directions, ingress and egress, parking access and location, accessibility, and other similar identifying information.
(11)
Within the ECR/D-SP zoning district, any signage permitted pursuant to subsections (9) and/or (10) of this section and any signage in excess of one hundred (100) square feet on the primary frontage or in excess of fifty (50) square feet on a secondary frontage shall require the review and approval of a master sign program for the subject property. The review and approval of a master sign program by the planning commission shall be subject to the following provisions:
(A)
Prior to the installation of any signage on a property, the owner of the property shall submit an application for a master sign program which identifies the number, size(s), locations (or alternative locations), structural design and materials of each type of signage proposed for the property and how those signs comply with the city's applicable design guidelines for signs.
(B)
Following review by the director of community development or his/her designee, the proposed master sign program shall be reviewed by the planning commission. The proposed master sign program shall be approved unless the planning commission finds that signage specified by the master sign program would not be compatible and harmonious with the buildings on the property or would otherwise be substantially inconsistent with the city's design guidelines for signs. The planning commission will also have the authority to grant exceptions from the city's design guidelines for signs so long as such changes will be compatible and harmonious with the overall project. With respect to project identification signage authorized under subsection (9) of this section, such signage shall be approved if the design of such signage is compatible with the project's overall architecture and is appropriate in terms of its size and location within the project.
(C)
After a master sign program has been approved by the planning commission, any signs erected and maintained on the subject property shall be in conformity with the approved program, and shall be reviewed and approved by the director of community development or his/her designee.
(D)
Any material amendments to an approved master sign program shall be reviewed according to the same process and criteria as the initial master sign program.
(Prior code § 22.4(f); Ord. 601, 1976; Ord. 838 § 1 (part), 1992; Ord. 1087 § 3 (Exh. A), 2022)
Uses in multiple residential districts may be permitted an identification sign containing the name of the development only, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
All such signs shall be approved by the director of community development or his/her designee.
(2)
Developments located on lots less than one hundred feet in width may be permitted one sign containing a maximum area of ten square feet.
(3)
Multiple residential developments on a lot width one hundred feet or greater may be permitted a sign containing not more than twenty square feet.
(4)
Developments on lots with more than one street frontage may have an additional sign not to exceed eight square feet in area on each additional frontage.
(5)
All signs shall be consistent with the scale and design of the development.
(6)
Signs may be illuminated, however, all lighting shall be directed away from street and adjacent properties.
(7)
Freestanding signs shall have a maximum height of four feet.
(8)
No signs shall be permitted on the roof or roof eave of buildings.
(Ord. 838 § 1 (part), 1992; Prior code § 22.4(g))