PL PACKET 06202023 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes May 16, 2023 Page 3 1 structures, ensure that public safety is addressed, and legitimize the use of these structures as 2 they are so common and accepted in a wide range of circumstances. 3 4 For commercial recurring applications (such as the garden center noted above), a one-time 5 Conditional Use Permit would be necessary to ensure that the nature of the installation fits on 6 the site and does not raise conflicts with other nearby businesses and parking conditions. 7 8 Residential events include garage sales, special event parties (such as graduations), and 9 similar functions. The Code is designed to set some basic rules for location and duration in 10 these situations and make it easy for residents to employ these structures in common settings. 11 The regulations limit the use of tents and canopies for garage sales to three, three-day events 12 per year. The standard was set to parallel IRS regulations that waive any taxing authority at 13 that threshold. Some cities have encountered issues with neighborhood disruption due to serial 14 garage sales, so this regulation is intended to avoid that scenario. 15 16 Temporary Signs – Under the current regulations, temporary signs are not permitted. The 17 only accommodation for such signs is a single 6-square foot “non-commercial speech” sign 18 permitted for each parcel. 19 20 Temporary signs are very commonly employed in the commercial areas of the City and are 21 common in most communities. The City took a “hands-off” approach to temporary signs due 22 to business restrictions during the COVID era, and such signs have flourished. Choices for the 23 City are to maintain the current prohibition and initiate a program of enforcement, or consider 24 regulations that allow limited temporary signs. This amendment provides the material to 25 address the latter approach if desired. 26 27 The proposed regulations create a series of permits which commercial/industrial properties 28 can obtain for occasional temporary sign display. Size, location, illumination, and other 29 factors are addressed in this regard. It is likely that some of the current displays exceed these 30 allowances, however, this regulation – if adopted – would create rules that can be applied 31 consistently across the city’s commercial areas. 32 33 There are a few residential implications of this amendment as well. First, is some attention to 34 garage sale and real estate signage that gets swept into these regulations. Managing off-site 35 signage is fraught with “content-based” limitations on the regulation of speech, so the 36 regulations work to limit that exposure. The other aspect is the use of temporary signage to 37 “advertise” for community events. The code is designed to allow a limited addition to the 38 temporary signage display on residential (and public) property to support events occurring in 39 the Recreation-Open Space zoning district. Residents can display signage to support a local 40 high school event or City festival in Central Park. This allowance adds a limited number of 41 days of display and accommodates signage of up to 10 square feet for such purposes. 42 43 Other Amendments – These amendments are proposed to address a variety of other 44 administrative and ordinance clean-up items discovered through staff use, re-readings, and 45 other experiences. Most of them avoid much policy discussion but fit within the Code 46 Committee’s review work.