The following standards and requirements shall apply in Parcel 3 and are in addition to other applicable standards and requirements provided by the West Des Moines zoning ordinance, particularly chapter 18 thereof. To the extent that the provisions of this section conflict with or are more restrictive than similar provisions provided elsewhere in the West Des Moines zoning ordinance, the provisions of this section shall control.
This ordinance recognizes that because of the size and scope of the project, and because access will be obtained to the development via large public arterial streets, the project has an extraordinary need for flexibility in the signage regulations applicable thereto. A sign plan is on file in the City as exhibit C and is meant to clarify where the various types of signs are allowed within this PUD.
A. Town Center Identification Signs: One Town Center identification sign shall be allowed at the northwest corner of Parcel 3 in the vicinity of the intersection of E.P. True Parkway and Jordan Creek Parkway (formerly 74th Street) and one Town Center identification sign shall be allowed at the southeast corner of Parcel 3 in the vicinity of the intersection of Mills Parkway and 68th Street. The permitted Town Center identification signs shall not exceed thirty five feet (35') in width and shall not exceed twelve feet (12') in height, provided, however, that a decorative or architectural element, with no text, shall be allowed at the base of each such Town Center identification sign which does not exceed thirteen feet (13') in width or thirty feet (30') in height. The usage and architectural treatment of the Town Center identification signs shall be limited to identification of the development itself, including the name and logo of the shopping center. Such signs which are thirty feet (30') in height or less shall be set back a minimum of ten feet (10') from the street right-of-way. Such signs that are greater than thirty feet (30') in height shall be set back a minimum of thirty feet (30') from the street right-of-way.
B. Town Center Entry Signs: In addition to the Town Center identification signs described in subsection A of this section, one landscape entry sign not exceeding ten feet (10') in height and not exceeding twenty six feet (26') in width shall be allowed at each of the entrances to Parcel 3.
C. Landmark Style Statuary: Landmarks, which are statuary and unadorned with advertising, shall be permitted as part of an approved site plan. Landmark statuary shall not exceed fifteen feet (15') in height measured from grade and shall not exceed twenty feet (20') in length unless a larger landmark style statue is approved by the City Council of the City of West Des Moines, which approval rights shall be expressly permitted under this ordinance. All landmarks must be at least two hundred feet (200') away from public right-of-way, and seventy five feet (75') from any other landmark style statuary. Paired statuary shall be considered one landmark statue for purposes of the foregoing minimum spacing requirement.
D. Project Wayfinding Signs: Project wayfinding signs shall be allowed on the internal roadways, access roads, traffic lanes, walkways, sidewalks, accessways and trails of Parcel 3 to help facilitate movement through and around the parcel. The sign area and setback, of the project wayfinding signs located within Parcel 3 shall be determined in conjunction with the issuance of the sign permit for the development. The project wayfinding signs may contain directional information about the location of individual businesses within the development, and such information may set forth the name of the business and use logos, service marks, or stylized letters that are identified with any such individual business. Any project wayfinding sign for Parcel 3 may contain the developer's logo for the center and/or the name of the center. Any such project wayfinding signs which are internally illuminated must have routed face letters and an opaque background. If such project wayfinding signs are externally illuminated, the lighting system must be screened as required by the City sign ordinance.
1. Vehicular Wayfinding Signs: Vehicular wayfinding signs shall be allowed within Parcel 3. Vehicular wayfinding signs shall not exceed ten feet (10') in height and twelve feet (12') in width.
2. Pedestrian Wayfinding Signs: Pedestrian wayfinding signs shall be allowed within Parcel 3. Pedestrian wayfinding signs shall not exceed ten (10) square feet per sign face with a maximum of four (4) sign faces per structure. If attached to a light pole, the sign must have at least an eight foot (8') clearance between the level of grade or sidewalk and the bottom of sign face support structure.
Basic directional signs, such as signs indicating exit, loading, or parking areas, shall be governed by the regulations set forth in title 9, chapter 18, "Signs", of the City Code for directional signs.
E. Monument Signs: Internal monument signage may be allowed for individual tenants or occupants to identify their location off internal driveways with the approval of a sign permit. Internal monument signs shall be a maximum of five feet (5') in height and shall contain a maximum of thirty five (35) square feet of structure.
F. Wall Signs: All signage constructed as wall signs on building fascia within Parcel 3 shall incorporate aesthetic features compatible with the character of the development. Temporary advertising or promotional signage attached to exterior windows or walls shall be allowed only with an approved temporary signage permit issued through the Building Department under the provisions for temporary signage in the City Code. Signs and exterior architectural design treatments with exposed neon lights visible from the exterior of the building shall be permitted, if used judiciously. Signs with moving lights or flashing lights shall be prohibited.
If panel signs are used, they must be inset into the building so that the sign is flush with the building wall.
Wall signs in the development shall be regulated generally under the sign ordinance except as provided above and as otherwise hereinafter provided:
1. Lettering: The developer, its tenants, and owners or tenants of anchor stores or any freestanding buildings are granted the right to incorporate their respective logos, service marks, and stylized letters that are identified with that business into wall signs affixed to buildings constructed in Parcel 3. The size of such lettering and the area of such wall signs shall be governed generally by the sign ordinance, except that all buildings in Parcel 3 with a gross leasable floor area in excess of one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet shall have the right to make at least one letter or other character in any such sign up to ten feet (10') in height.
2. Anchor Stores: Each anchor store shall be allowed to erect wall signs on each exterior wall at a rate for each such sign of one square foot of sign area per linear foot of the longest wall of the anchor store; and one-half (1/2) square foot of sign area per linear foot of all other exterior walls. In the event there are two (2) building walls which qualify as being the longest wall, then only one of such building walls may be considered the longest wall for purposes of calculating the permitted signage under this section. For purposes of the allocation of signs, no wall shall have more than a one to one (1:1) area to linear wall measurement. (Ord. 1578, 4-26-2004)
3. Multi-Tenant Buildings: Wall signs allowable for multi-tenant buildings in Parcel 3 shall be determined under the sign ordinance. Within the North Village District, signage may be placed on tower elements above the main roof of the building if the following criteria can be met:
a. Each tower element contains identification for only one tenant.
b. Panel signs are contoured to the shape of the logo minimizing the amount of panel area and shall provide a 3-dimensional projection from the background of the surrounding sign area.
c. The contoured panel portion of signs on towers may be internally illuminated, however, the background within the sign shall be opaque and may not be internally illuminated. Halo lighting from the dimensional portion of the sign may be allowed to provide subtle background illumination within the sign or the wall behind the sign. Architectural lighting shall be permitted when incorporated as a building accent and shall not be considered part of a tower sign.
d. The maximum square footage of signage on each tower does not exceed forty (40) square feet. The square footage of signage placed on the tower shall be included in the total square footage of allowed wall signage for the tenant space of the advertised tenant and may be transferred to the tower even if the tenant is not the tenant immediately below the tower element. (Ord. 2291, 4-16-2018)
4. Freestanding Buildings: Wall signs allowable for freestanding buildings (whether or not located in outparcels) in Parcel 3 shall be determined under the sign ordinance.
5. Theater Building: The occupant of the "Theater Building" premises as designated on the site plan approved by the West Des Moines City Council shall be permitted to have a sign structure not exceeding eighty three feet (83') in height with a sign containing lines of letters not exceeding an area of one hundred seventy (170) square feet. (Ord. 1578, 4-26-2004)
6. Projecting/Blade Signs: The use of projecting signs (which may also be referred to as blade signs) shall be allowed within PUD as part of the wall signage allowed for a tenant. Any projecting sign shall comply with the applicable regulations in the West Des Moines Sign Code and the following unless noted otherwise elsewhere in this PUD ordinance:
a. Only one projecting sign allowed per tenant space.
b. The projecting sign shall be counted as part of the allowed wall signage for the tenant space and shall not be greater than one-half (1/2) of the total allowed wall signage earned by the wall on which the sign will be mounted.
c. The sign may have two (2) faces but only one side of the sign will be counted to determine the size of the sign.
d. No projecting sign shall extend further away from the wall than five feet (5') to the furthest edge.
e. All projecting signs shall be designed in such a manner that only the text, or graphic is illuminated, not the entire background of the sign, such as routered face or individual channel letters on an opaque backer.
f. The thickness measured between the principal faces of any projecting sign shall not exceed eighteen inches (18").
g. The projecting sign shall not be permitted to extend above the building roof more than one-half (1/2) the height of the sign. (Ord. 2023, 3-10-2014)
G. Entry Identification Signs; Enclosed Mall: An identification sign shall be allowed at each entrance to the enclosed mall. Letters on the entry identification sign shall not exceed four feet (4') in height. The sign may contain at least two (2) lines of letters contained in a rectangle, the dimensions of which shall not exceed seven feet by twenty one feet (7' x 21'). The entry identification signs described in this subsection shall not count against the limits imposed upon wall signs, as set forth in subsection F of this section.
H. Art Elements And Murals: Art elements and murals shall be encouraged provided that said element or mural does not include text that identifies a particular tenant or store. Staff shall review all proposals and determine whether the proposal is in compliance before they are installed. Art elements and murals shall not include logos, be recognizable as part of a corporate identity, draw attention to or otherwise advertise, identify or have a mental connection to any one use, person, product, business, establishment, or service. (Ord. 1578, 4-26-2004)