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7C <br />Page 2 <br />4. Commercial messages on signs can be substituted far messages that are non- <br />commercial in nature (a restaurant could change its sign message advertising its <br />business name, to a message reminding the public to vote, for example) <br />The praposed ordinance changes are consistent with past direction from Council, and <br />include the following issues: <br />Sign Reface: (Article ll, Sec. 3.59.E.) <br />A permit would be required for "re-facing" i.e. changing the front street-facing portion of <br />existing signs. This requirement does not in any way control conten# but rather insures the <br />following: <br />The structural integrity of the existing sign is verified by the City (for example, most <br />"re-facings" involve signs that are dated and which must conform to current wind <br />load as well as other Uniform Building Code and U.L.(Underwriter's Laboratories) <br />rating requirements) <br />The electrical connections and/or any new upgrades related to iliuminafiion must be <br />specified and reviewed by the City (for example, some elec#rically illuminated signs <br />are not equipped to handle bulbs with higher wattage, some vendors place bright <br />white plastic faces when the City has consistently required off white faces to avoid <br />generating glare) <br />Planning staff verification of the overall site's conformance to the current sign code <br />Amortization: (Article 11, Sec. 3.904.D.} <br />The current sign ordinance was adopted on June 28, 1999 by the City Council and at that <br />time, a comprehensive sign inventory was conducted as part of an amortization (removal) <br />process for nonconforming signs. Under the current sign ordinance (Division 13), all non- <br />conforming signs were scheduled to be "amortized" according to sign type. Over the last <br />seven years, approximately 60% of documented non-conforming signs have been <br />eliminated either through active enforcement by the sign Code Enforcement Officer <br />(position currently eliminated) or through sign applications from businesses who seek to <br />upgrade the look of their establishments. <br />Under the proposed new ordinance, signs designated as non-conforming would be <br />provided with the following extensions in order to further amortize their construction and <br />advertising value: <br />1. "Freestanding Signs" (for example, tall pole-mounted signs), 8 more years <br />2. Roof-mounted and large wall signs, 4 more years <br />3. Architectural/awning canopy/blade signs, 2 more years (This category will be <br />eliminated upon final confirmation that no examples are found to remain.} <br />As of January 2007, the sign inventory for non-conforming signs has been <br />comprehensively updated (Attachment 2). Staff proposes to continue a "passive" <br />enforcement of the replacement/removal of these signs during an extended amortization <br />period, allowing businesses the flexibility of updating their sign displays anytime during this <br />phase. <br />2 <br />