Signage restrictions shall be imposed to limit and reduce the negative impacts of sign clutter. It is recognized that within the Clocktower Square development, some of the signage on the site at the time of the adoption of this ordinance was allowed under previous sign regulations and agreements and they do not comply with the current sign regulations. There is also potential changes being considered for the site that will cause certain actions, such as additional right of way reservation or acquisition, that will cause some ground signs to be relocated and repairs and modifications to the facade of the building that will necessitate building signs to be removed temporarily for the work to be completed. Therefore these regulations have been adopted to address: the current signage situation, temporary situations and future situations and what will be allowed under the different scenarios. Any new signs shall comply with the provisions of the current city sign code unless modified herein.
A. Development Identification Signs: The Clocktower Square development is allowed one monument sign per public street frontage; one for University Avenue and one for 28th Street. There are two (2) signs currently on the site, one in the island at the north entrance off of University Avenue and one in the northeast corner of the site.
1. Multi-Tenant Sign In Northeast Corner Of Site: The existing sign at the northeast corner of the site is larger than what would be allowed under the current sign code and would not meet setback requirements and is therefore considered legal nonconforming. The existing sign may remain and continue to be used but is limited to repainting, changing the face of the sign, and other maintenance required to keep the sign operational and safe. The sign may not be removed, expanded or reconfigured into another shape without losing the nonconforming status and having to be brought into compliance with current code or the standards identified herein.
If the sign is required to be moved due to the city's acquisition of the additional right of way to conform to the ultimate rights of way as identified within the WDM comprehensive plan or any other activity that would cause the loss of the legal nonconforming status, the sign shall be relocated outside of the ultimate public street right of way and meet the following:
a. A minimum setback of one foot (1') from the ultimate right of way but the sign shall not encroach into the twenty five foot (25') sight triangle for safety reasons.
b. No design of the ultimate right of way has been developed at this time but the topographic difference between the site elevation and the street elevation may require retaining walls. The sign may be built on top of the grade, or placed on top of any retaining walls necessary to accommodate the required topography for the right of way but the sign shall not be artificially elevated by berming unless it is a required berm as part of a site development plan.
c. Design of the sign shall incorporate architectural elements that are consistent with the architectural theme of the development such as brick, stone, medallions, colors, trim elements, etc.
d. Cabinet signs which illuminate the background of the copy (panel signs) shall be prohibited. Copy shall be designed as individual letters which may be channel letters, routed face with push through letters, reverse channel, halo lit, opaque vinyl background, or an acceptable design approved by the sign administrator.
e. The sign structure shall be a maximum height of ten feet (10') and a maximum width of fifteen feet (15') with a maximum copy area for tenant signage of one hundred eight (108) square feet. There shall be no limitation on the number of the tenants that may be displayed in this copy area and the landlord may determine the sign area allocation of the tenants displayed. The name of the development, development logo, or other design elements may be placed in the remaining sign area.
2. Monument Sign At The University Avenue Entrance: The existing sign structure is presently approximately six and one-half feet (61/2') tall and eleven and one-half feet (111/2') long and located approximately twenty feet (20') from the existing University Avenue right of way. This sign may remain in its current location and would be under the same limitations as a legal nonconforming sign as noted above, except, due to the limited visibility of the sign because of the topography adjacent to the drive entrance, an additional eighteen inches (18") of sign height may be added to the existing sign area which is approximately ninety six inches (96") long. This additional twelve (12) square foot area may display the development name, property address, development logo, or other development identifying elements. There shall be no limitation on the number of the tenants that may be displayed in the copy area on the lower portion of the sign and the landlord may determine the sign area allocation of the tenants displayed.
If the sign is required to be moved due to the city's acquisition of the additional right of way to conform to the ultimate rights of way as identified within the West Des Moines comprehensive plan or any other activity that would cause the loss of the legal nonconforming status, the sign shall be relocated outside of the ultimate public street right of way with the following restrictions:
a. If the sign is placed in an island within the driveway similar to the existing situation, the sign shall meet the standards of the sign code at that time.
b. If the sign is placed outside of the drive on either side of the drive entrance, a minimum setback of one foot (1') from the ultimate right of way will be required but the sign shall not encroach into the twenty five foot (25') sight triangle along the public street right of way and the back of curb of the drive entrance for safety reasons.
c. No design of the ultimate right of way has been developed at this time but the topographic difference between the site elevation and the street elevation may require retaining walls. The sign may be built on top of the grade, or placed on top of any retaining wall necessary to accommodate the required topography for the right of way but shall not be artificially elevated by berming unless it is a required berm as part of a site plan development plan.
d. Design of the sign shall incorporate architectural elements that are consistent with the architectural theme of the development such as brick, stone, medallions, colors, trim elements, etc.
e. Cabinet signs which illuminate the background of the copy (panel signs) shall be prohibited. Copy shall be designed as individual letters which may be channel letters, routed face with push through letters, reverse channel, halo lit, opaque vinyl background, or an acceptable design approved by the sign administrator.
f. The sign structure shall be a maximum height of seven feet (7') and have a maximum area, including the structure, of seventy five (75) square feet.
g. With the relocation of the sign, it is anticipated that the visual obstruction created by the existing topography can be addressed in the design of the sign and site so there shall be no restriction on the allocation of the sign area between development identification and tenant identification and the landlord may determine the sign area allocation.
3. Tenant Directional Sign: To assist patrons in navigating the site once they have entered the development, one tenant directional sign shall be allowed interior to the development near the north entrance to the development.
a. The intent of directional signage is not to draw people off of the public street, so letter size and sign location shall be designed to minimize visibility and readability from the exterior of the property and shall not be allowed within the perimeter green space of the site.
b. It may be allowed in an interior parking lot island or in an area adjacent to the buildings but shall be designed and located so as to not obstruct vehicle or pedestrian visibility at intersections.
c. A maximum height of forty two inches (42") and a maximum length of fifteen and one-half feet (151/2') shall be allowed and the design shall incorporate architectural elements that are consistent with the architectural theme of the development such as brick, stone, medallions, trim elements, etc.
d. A cabinet sign with an illuminated background to the copy (panel signs) shall be prohibited. Copy shall be designed as individual letters which may be channel letters, routed face with push through letters, reverse channel, halo lit, opaque vinyl background, or an acceptable design approved by the sign administrator.
4. Sign Code: Any other directional signs within the development shall comply with the sign code regulations.
5. Existing Concrete Sign Element: At the north entrance to the site there is currently a concrete sign panel incorporated into a retaining wall as shown in exhibit B on file in the city. With redesign and redevelopment plans, this sign is to be removed. As part of the redesign of the site, the panels of this sign may be relocated within the interior of the development and used as part of a landscape element to preserve the feature and create a connection to the past history of the development. It is not intended that this sign would draw people off of the public street, unless reused as a part of the multi-tenant or monument sign, so the sign location and placement shall be designed to minimize visibility and readability from the exterior of the property.
B. Building Signage: With the update and redevelopment of the center, it is anticipated that existing tenant signs will need to be temporarily removed for the facade work to be completed. These signs shall be allowed to be removed and replaced without being required to come into compliance with the current regulations so long as the same signs are placed back in the same location and configuration as they were prior to the update work. No sign permit will be required for this temporary work.
New building signs shall comply with the following calculations for square footage of sign allowed, regardless of the placement location of the signage on their own tenant space except as otherwise allowed herein:
1. Tenants with the entrance of their retail space facing north along University Avenue shall earn one square foot of sign per one linear foot of tenant frontage. If in the future any tenant in the building in the northeast corner of the site has their retail entrance facing 28th Street, they shall also earn one foot (1') of sign per one linear foot of tenant frontage facing 28th Street.
2. Tenants with their entrances facing the parking field in the interior of the center shall earn two (2) square feet of sign per one linear foot of tenant frontage.
3. The wall area facing University Avenue above the roof of the tenants on the lower level that face University Avenue, only may be utilized for tenant signage for those tenants who have entrances that face the interior of the site. This wall area on both buildings within the center shall earn one square foot for each linear foot of the wall frontage facing University Avenue. The landlord may determine the sign area allocation of the tenants displayed within the allowed square footage of each building and tenants in one building, may not be displayed on the wall of another building within the center, tenant signage shall only be allowed on the upper wall facing University Avenue within the building that they are located.
4. Wall signage shall incorporate aesthetic features compatible with the overall character of the development. All wall signs will be composed of either solid individual letters of anodized aluminum or galvanized metal or plastic attached to the building fascia, illuminated self-contained individual letters with translucent plastic faces set in anodized aluminum returns and trim or solid metal panels with routed letters illuminated by recessed cabinets. To the greatest extent possible, signs shall be contoured to minimize the excess unused area of a sign and to minimize the amount of glow. Logos may be incorporated into wall signage and shall not be larger than one and one-half (11/2) times that size of the largest letter in the sign. A contoured panel sign may be allowed for logo signs but shall be designed so that only the logo is illuminated and background areas are covered with opaque vinyl or a routed face design. The sign administrator shall work with the applicant to accomplish a sign for the logo that allows for the tenants identity to be recognized but minimizes the background illumination and addresses the intent of this ordinance. (Ord. 2056, 10-6-2014)