A. Purpose. The sign program provides a process for the city's review of and decisions related to requests for signs for multi-tenant projects. The intent of the sign program is to allow the integration of a project's signs with the design of the structures involved to achieve a unified architectural statement and to approve common sign regulations for multi-tenant projects, as well as to encourage design flexibility while meeting the intent of this title.
B. Applicability. A sign program shall be required whenever the site meets any of the following conditions:
1. For all sites that will have permanent signing requirements which exceed either five (5) signs or two hundred (200) square feet total aggregate sign area; or
2. The site to be considered is a multi-tenant shopping center, office park, or other multi-tenant or mixed-use development of three (3) or more separate tenants/uses that share either the same parcel or structure and use common access and parking facilities as specified in Section 17.52.040 (Permit Requirements and Review Procedures).
3. Optional. Application for a sign program shall be at the option of the applicant whenever such application is not mandatory and the site meets any of the following conditions:
a. The site to be considered shall consist of a lot or parcel, or a series of lots or parcels combined, which front on two (2) or more public streets.
b. The site to be considered shall consist of five (5) or more separate business activities.
c. The area to be included for consideration shall consist of a lot or parcel, or a series of lots or parcels combined, to total a minimum of two (2) acres.
C. Approving Authority. Review and approval of a sign program is the responsibility of the Planning Commission. The Community Development Director may make a recommendation on the program to the Commission, and the Commission may approve, approve with conditions, or deny the sign program. Additionally, the Planning Commission shall be the approving authority for modifications and amendments to a sign program, except as provided in this title.
D. Application Contents. The sign program shall include criteria for building-attached and freestanding signs for business activities within the site, and the integrated development itself to establish complementary signage, consistency of sign type, location, logo and/or letter height, lines of copy, illumination, and construction details of signs for the project. All signs within the development shall be consistent with the sign program adopted for the development. The message substitution policy of Chapter 17.54 (Signs on city property) shall be deemed incorporated in every sign program, even if the sign program documents do not explicitly so state. Maximum size, location, height, setback, and other development standards for signs in the sign program shall be consistent with the standards of this title.
E. Deviations Allowed. The following types of deviations from the signage standards of this title may be requested by the applicant in conjunction with a sign program and may, upon written findings, be approved by the approving authority:
1. Increases in maximum allowed area for permanent signs on the subject site;
2. Increases in maximum allowed number of signs on the subject site;
3. Allowances for signs to deviate from allowed locations as established by this title; and
4. Allowances for signs to exceed the maximum height requirement(s).
F. Considerations. In approving an application for a sign program, the designated Approving authority shall ensure that the proposed signs meet the following criteria:
1. All proposed signs are in harmony and visually related to other signs included in the sign program, by incorporating several common design elements such as materials, letter style, colors, illumination method, sign type, or sign shape and placement.
2. The proposed signs are in harmony and visually related to the buildings they identify by utilizing materials, colors, or design motifs included in the building being identified.
3. The proposed signs are in harmony and visually related to the surrounding development and would not adversely affect surrounding land uses or obscure adjacent conforming signs.
G. Addition, Replacement, or Modification of Signs within a Previously Approved Sign Program. Application for the addition, modification, or replacement of signs requiring permits within the boundaries of an area having a previously approved sign program shall be made in the following manner:
1. Whenever the number of signs to be added, modified, or replaced totals less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the number of permitted signs presently on the site, application shall be made under the provisions of a standard sign permit application.
2. When the number of signs to be added, modified, or replaced totals twenty- five percent (25%) or more of the number of permitted signs presently on the site, application shall be made under the provisions of a sign program.
H. Approval Findings. A sign program, or revisions thereto, shall be granted only when the designated approving authority makes all of the following findings:
1. The proposed sign program is consistent with the objectives of the general plan;
2. The proposed additions, replacements, or modifications to the sign program are consistent with the purposes of the previously approved sign program; and
3. The proposed deviations from the signage requirements of this title are consistent with the considerations and other provisions listed in this section.
I. Appeal. Appeal of the approving authority's action on the request for a sign program shall be made in accordance with the procedures specified in Section 17.10.070 (Appeals).
J. Expiration. All approved sign programs are subject to the provisions set forth in Section 17.10.100 (Revocation Permit Time Limits, Extensions, and Expirations). (Ord. 2010-02 § 1 (part), 2010)