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MEMORANDUM DATE: 5/8/01 MEETING DATE: 5/15/0.1 TO: Planning Commissioners FROM: Susan Henry, Assistant City Manager . RE: City Monument Sign Recommendation As you know, the City Council is interested in an electronic city monument near the City Hall/Community Center Building. Last month at the Joint Meeting of the Planning Commission/City Council, there was consensus to go ahead with the city electronic monument sign,justifying public purpose as the reason. Originally, the sign subcommittee considered an update to the sign portion of the code to allow electronic signs citywide. While this is still under consideration, that is not the recommendation at this time. Allowing the.City to have electronic reader board signs requires making an ordinance change to allow electronic signs for public purposes only, in specially zoned areas, such as Recreational/Open Space. If the Planning Commission were agreeable with pursuing this, the public hearing on the ordinance change would take place on June 19. The Council would then have three hearings on the case (June 26, July 10 and 24). The Monument Sign Subcommittee was formed late last year to study the issue as it relates to need, location, and current city code. After studying the potential, the preferred is on the hill near the-tennis courts at 371' and Silver Lake Road. The recommendation includes the monument sign to be attractively landscaped and built into the side of the hill. This scope of work will probably cost more than originally planned due to the fact that it's more elaborate. However, this location makes the most sense and ties in with the City improving the City Hall/Community Center campus. An alternate location is in front of Central Park, along Silver Lake Road. This option would probably cost less money. It may be a budgetary decision to eliminate the more elaborate sign location. Currently, there is not money budgeted for this item. The Council will need to take a look at funding of the expenditure in 2001 or 2002, if necessary. The expenditure is unknown at this time until the design concept and bids are received for the project. Once the ordinance change has gone through its procedural channels, city staff can go ahead and begin working with a firm for design concepts. What input would the Planning Commission like to give to the design firm in terms of what the sign should look like? The design firm could draw concepts for both potential sign locations. Is it important to establish standards for maintenance and operation? This is an appropriate time to make those comments. The Council and Planning Commission mentioned at the joint meeting the importance of tying the project to the same firm that will be working on Central Park. This way there can be design consistency between the public areas. Once the design concept is completed, the plans will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for comment, then onto the City Council for final approval. If approved, it is hoped the project can be accomplished yet in 2001. Staff Recommendation: Send the project recommendation to the City Council for comment. Begin the process by making an ordinance change to the sign code stating that the city can place electronic signs in areas zoned recreational/open space for the purposes of public information. Attachments: • Sign Subcommittee Meeting Summary— March 14, 2001 • Planning Commission/City Council Joint Meeting Summary—April 17, 2001