HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 09-13 Amending Title 17 Sign RegulationsORDINANCE NO. 09-13
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE AMENDING TITLE 17 OF THE
ORANGE MUNICIPAL CODE TO STREAMLINE
THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS FOR CERTAIN
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND ESTABLISH
SIGN REGULATIONS FOR MIXED USE ZONING
DISTRICTS.
WHEREAS, the City desires to put in place policies and procedures that avail the
public of efficient and expeditious review of new construction or building renovations
outside of the Old Towne Orange Historic District that are well designed and aesthetically
harmonious with development in the surrounding area; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to encourage economic development through business
friendly practices that enable property improvements and investment to occur; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to facilitate the development of attractive, high quality
new housing units in the community; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that the urban, higher intensity character of its
Mixed Use zoning districts warrants consideration of signage for development types not
possible in other lower density and intensity residential and commercial areas of the
community. Because of the combined vehicular and pedestrian orientation of the Mixed Use
zoning districts, size of property, scale of development, and possibility of combining
commercial and residential uses on an individual property, greater flexibility in the size and
types of signage is warranted.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORANGE
DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I:
Section 17.08.020 is revised as follows:
There are five reviewing bodies established to administer the provisions of the zoning
ordinance and General Plan. These five reviewing bodies have authority to make decisions
and/or recommendations for applications as outlined in Table 17.08.020:
Table 17.08.020
Type of Procedure,Permit or Hearing CDD DRC ZA PC CC
Zoning Ordinance Amendment A A X
Zone Change A A X
Conditional Use Permit A A(1) X(1) X(1) X(1)
Variance A A(1) X(1) X
Administrative Adjustment Permit X
Temporary Use(Non-Recurring)Permit X
Design Review A/X(1) X(1)
Administrative Design Review X(1)
Old Towne Demolition Permit A X(1) X
Site Plan Review—Minor X
Site Plan Review—Major A A X
Tentative Tract Map A A X
General Plan Amendment A A X
Environmental Documentation A X(1) X(1)
Key: CDD Community Development Director
DRC Design Review Committee
ZA Zoning Administrator
PC Planning Commission
CC City Council
A Advisory
X Final project determination
1) Restricted to certain applications
GENERAL NOTES:
a) All items may be finally decided by the City Council upon appeal.
b) When more than one type of application is filed for a single project,the application requiring the highest
level of approval shali dictate the review process for the entire group of applications.
SECTION II:
Section 17.08.020.E is revised as follows:
E. Community Development Director. The Community Development Director, in
conjunction with a staff review committee designated by the City Manager, shall review
development proposals in order to ensure that yards, open space, structures, parking, loading
facilities, landscaping, streets and similar uses and the development of the land remains
compatible with surrounding properties reflecting the highest quality of land planning and
design.
1. Powers and Duties. The Community Development Director, after consultation
with a staff review committee designated by the City Manager, shall have the authority to:
a. Decide upon minor site plan applications.
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b. Decide upon administrative design review applications as specified in Chapter
17.10;
c. Review and make recommendations to the Planning Commission on major site
plans and other discretionary applications as specified in Chapter 17.10;
d. Consider minor modifications to previously approved site plans and determine
whether such modifications are in substantial conformance with the approved plans;
e. Review and make recommendations to the City Planning Commission on
environmental documentation and all duties defined in City environmental review guidelines.
SECTION III:
Section 17.10.070 is revised as follows:
B. When Design Review is Required. Design review is required for all projects
listed below:
1.Development projects requiring Planning Commission or City Council
approval;
2.Any project requiring major site plan review;
3.Signs as specified in Chapter 17.36;
4.All projects within Old Towne or other historic districts as established, except
where otherwise exempted by adopted design standards and/or adopted specific plan(s);
5.External remodeling of commercial, industrial, institutional and large scale
multiple family developments, except where otherwise exempted by City codes, including
adopted design standards and/or adopted specific plans(s) including:
a.Farade renovation of the majority of a multi-family residential complex,
multi-tenant commercial or industrial center, or institutional property.
b.Introduction of new structural architectural elements to the fa ade of
individual in-line or freestanding pad tenants within a multi-tenant commercial or industrial
center where such elements project more than 12" from any exteriar wall plane.
6.Projects subject to Minor Site Plan Review that also involve exterior
remodeling of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development that is
visible from the public right-of-way.
SECTION IV:
Section 17.10.070 is revised to add a new subsection E as follows with existing subsections
E, F and G re-labeled as F, G, and H, accordingly to establish a new Administrative Design
Review process as follows:
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E. Administrative Design Review.
1.Purpose and Intent. The administrative design review process is established to
allow for a simplified review process for specific types of new development, exterior
building alterations, and sign modifications which the City anticipates will not adversely
affect surrounding properties.
2.Actions Eligible for Administrative Design Review. The following types of
projects are eligible for Administrative Design Review:
a. Projects subject to Minor Site Plan Review that also involve exterior remodeling
of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development that is not visible from
the public right-of-way.
b. Projects that involve exterior remodeling of an individual free-standing
commercial, industrial, or institutional building on an individual parcel that is not part of a
larger center or campus, including changes in exterior building material, roof form, and
window or door openings.
c. Infill residential development as specified in the City of Orange Infill Residential
Design Guidelines.
d. Modifications to existing sign programs that involve changes in color, font style,
height, width, method of illumination or sign area that are otherwise in compliance with the
provisions of Section 17.36.
3.Initiation and Application. Applications for administrative design review
shall be filed in accordance with submittal requirements as determined by the Community
Development Director. Additional information may be requested from an applicant to allow
for thorough design review of a project.
4.Procedure and Criteria. The Community Development Director, pursuant to
Section 17.08.020, shall be responsible for administrative design review. Once an
application for administrative design review has been deemed complete, the Community
Development Director shall consider and approve, deny or refer the project to the Design
Review Committee. In making such determination, the Community Development Director
shall consider adopted design standards and guidelines where applicable, the general criteria
set forth in Section 17.10.070.D, and the findings required in subsections 17.10.070.G.3 and
4. Appeals of decisions by the Community Development Director shall be made in
accordance with the City appeal procedures set forth in Section 17.08.050. Notification of
administrative design review action shall be posted at the property in a location clearly
visible from the public right-of-way for the duration of the appeal period.
SECTION V:
Section 17.36.040.D is revised to read as follows:
D. Projecting signs, except within the OTMU,NMU, and UMU zones. A
projecting sign is one that extends more than twelve (12) inches from the surface of a wall to
which it is attached, or a wall sign intended to be visible from more than one side.
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SECTION VI:
Section 17.36.060.A.3 is revised to read as follows:
3.Mixed Use Zones and_Major Commercial Centers. Sign programs for major
commercial centers on sites which are located in the GTR, C-R, C-2 or C-3 zones and are
larger than twenty-five (25) acres, and for mixed use, multi-family residential, or multi-
tenant commercial uses in the OTMU, NMU and UMU zones, regardless of the size of the
site may include criteria that differ from the limitations contained in this chapter. Sign
programs for major commercial centers are_subject to the review and approval of a
conditional use permit by the Planning Commission. Sign programs in mixed use zones are
subject to review and approval by the Design Review Committee. Sign programs shall be
reviewed based on the following criteria:
SECTION VIL•
Section 17.36.060.A.3.c is revised to read as follows:
c. Display area for wall signs shall be calculated based upon the length of building
elevations according to the limits established by Section 17.36.080. In mixed use zoning
districts the area of projecting signs shall be calculated based on the standards for wall sign
area and counted toward the overall allowable wall sign area for a building. However, sign
area may be redistributed among portions of building elevations as specified within the sign
program, or permitted to increase to the following ratio:
SECTION VIII:
Subsection 17.36.060.A.3.1 is revised to read as follows:
1.Sign programs for sites located in the OTMU zones_shall also comply with
sign regulations included in the City's Historic Preservation Design Standards.
SECTION IX:
A new Section 17.36.110.A.2 is revised to read as follows:
2.Apartments or Condominiums. One sign shall be permitted per street frontage
for any multiple-family apartment or condominium complex of not less than ten units. Such
a sign shall not exceed an area of 35 square feet with a maximum height of 42 inches.
a.For stand-alone apartment or condominium developments in the OTMU,
NMU or UMU zones, project identification signage may be provided as wall, monument or
projecting signs subject to the following criteria:
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i.One freestanding sign shall be permitted per street frontage measuring up to
400 feet for any multiple-family apartment or condominium complex of not less than ten
units. Such a sign shall not exceed an area of 35 square feet with a maximum height of 42
inches. Any parcel with more than 400 feet of frontage may have one additional freestanding
sign for each 400-foot increment.
ii. Wall signs shall be permitted where a freestanding sign is not being proposed
with a maximum area of one-half(1/2) square foot per lineal foot of building elevation.
b.For apartment or condominium development in the OTMU, NMU, or UMU
zones that are part of a mixed use project, a sign program shall be required pursuant to
Section 17.36.060.A.
c.Accessory wall signs for leasing or sales offices are allowed subject to the
following criteria:
i.A maximum of one sign is allowed for a either a stand-alone multi-family
residential development or multi-family residential development as part of a mixed use
project provided that the leasing or sales office is located at the ground level of the site. Sign
area shall not exceed one-half(1/2) square foot of sign area per lineal foot of the portion of
building elevation behind which the leasing or sale office is located. Letter height shall not
exceed 12 inches.
ii. The sign may be attached to a building wall or parapet provided that the sign
does not extend more than 12 inches above any parapet or eave line or have more than 50%
of its height above any parapet or eave line.
iii. An accessory residential leasing or sales office wall sign shall be erected or
constructed so that it is either integrated into the wall, flat against the wall to which it is
attached, or projecting not more than 10" from the wall plane.
SECTION X:
Section 17.36.150.B.3 is revised as follows:
3. Such signs shall not exceed an area of six square feet and a height of 42 inches
unless additional area and height are approved in the context of a sign program in accordance
with Section 17.36.060.
SECTION XI:
Section 17.36.150 is revised to add a new subsections I and J as follows:
I.Creative Signs. Creative signs are allowed in the UMU zone. The intention
of these provisions is to encourage signs of unique design that exhibit a high degree of
imagination, inventiveness, spirit and thoughtfulness. Creatively designed signs should make
a positive visual contribution to the overall image of the City, while mitigating the impacts of
large, obtrusive or unusually designed signs. Creative signs may be allowed in addition to
other project identification signs allowed by this Chapter subject to approval of a sign
program. Creative signs, either on their own or as part of a sign program in combination
with other project signage, shall be reviewed by the Design Review Committee and approved
by the Planning Commission subject to the following criteria:
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1.Signs may include imagery or graphics that do not advertise a product,
business, corporate, or organizational logo. Content may include a civic message, ar other
neutral subject matter such as geometric shapes, nature images, community history,
geographic districts of the City, or other content determined to be similarly neutral by the
Community Development Director.
2.Signs shall be architecturally integrated into a development, and be placed in a
logical location in relation to the overall composition of the building fa ade.
3.Signs shall be located and designed not to cause light and glare impacts on
surrounding uses.
4.Signs may be directly or indirectly illuminated, but shall not include flashing
ar animated elements in accordance with Section 17.36.040.
5.Sign area shall be proportionate to the building design and archir ctural
feature upon which the sign is installed upon or associated with.
J.Murals. Murals are allowed in the OTMU, NMU and UMU z nes.
Murals should make a positive visual contribution to the overall image of the City and may
be allowed in addition to other project identification signs allowed by this Chapter. Murals,
either on their own or as part of a sign program in combination with other project sia age,
shall be reviewed by the Design Review Committee and approved by the I'lanning
Commission subject to the following criteria:
1.Murals may include imagery or graphics that do not advertise a product,
business, corporate, or organizational logo. Content may include a civic message, or other
neutral subject matter such as geometric shapes, nature images, community history,
geographic districts of the City, or similar content as determined by the Community
Development Director.
2. The area of a mural shall be proportionate to the building design and comply
with the provisions of Section 17.36.080.B. The area of a mural shall be included in the
maximum allowable number and area of wall signage for a building.
3. Murals may be directly or indirectly illuminated.
SECTION XII:
A summary of this Ordinance shall be published and a certified copy of the full text
of this Ordinance shall be posted in the Office of the City Clerk at least fifteen (15) days
prior to the City Council meeting at which this Ordinance is to be adopted. A summary of
this Ordinance shall also be published once within fifteen (15) days after its passage in a
newspaper of general circulation in the City of Orange. The City Clerk shall post in the
Office of the City Clerk a certified copy of the full text of the adopted Ordinance along with
the names of those City Council members voting for and against the Ordinance in accordance
with Government Code Section 36933.
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ADOPTED this lOth day of September, 2013.
G
Teresa . Smith, May r, City of Orange
ATTEST:
f
f
Mar;E. , r , City Clerk, i range
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE )
CITY OF ORANGE
I, MARY E. MURPHY, City Clerk of the City of Orange, California, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Ordinance was introduced at the regular meeting of the City
Council held on the 27t" day of August, 2013, and thereafter at the regular meeting of said
City Council duly held on the lOt" day of September, 2013, was duly passed and adopted by
the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Alvarez, Whitaker, Smith, Murphy, Bilodeau
NOES: COiJNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSTAIN: COIJNCILMEMBERS: None
e-
Mary . u , City Clerk, Ci range
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