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Home My WebLink AboutAMENDMENT TO FORT COLLINS SIGN CODE - RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN DISTRICT - 38-92 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - Staff's Project Comments (5) SIGNS IN NEIGHBORHOOD COMN ERCIAL AREAS PROJECT _PROPOSED CODE CHANGES (February 5, 1992) Introduction Several years ago, the City of Fort Collins enacted regulations to control the location and design of signage on private property. While the Sign Code has been generally well received by both the business industry and public, there has been growing concern that these regulations do not adequately control signage as it applies to commercial uses in predominantly residential areas. Concerns include but are not limited to the extent of signage allowed under the current code; appearance and aesthetics, and; compatibility with neighborhood quality and character. The City's Sign Code currently includes a provision which allows the Planning and Zoning Board to impose more restrictive signage requirements in planned unit developments than otherwise would be permitted under the Sign Code. The Planning and Zoning Board and City staff have used this provision in the review of signs in new planned unit developments. However, it has become apparent that lacking in this process are clear and consistent standards. The City of Fort Collins, with the assistance of a local consulting firm has prepared the following changes to the Sign Code to address these issues. The recommendations are two-fold: First, clear and consistent standards should be adopted for the extent, location and design of signs in the "residential neighborhood sign district" which will guide the Planning and Zoning Board and City staff in the approval of sign permits. Second, these provisions shall only apply to new planned unit developments located in an area known as the "residential neighborhood sign district„ as indicated on the attached map. This district includes areas of the community which are considered by the City as being predominantly residential in use and character. This district excludes predominantly commercial or industrial areas including south and north College Avenue, Downtown, and along portions of the Harmony Road and Prospect Road corridors. The new regulations will also not apply to planned unit developments approved prior to enactment of these new provisions or in the Estate Residential and Foothill Residential zoning districts wherein PUD's are not allowed. Recommended Changes Section 1. Add to the Sign Code a new subsection 1129-593.1. Limitations for non- residential uses in the "residential neighborhood sign district", as follows: THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS SHALL APPLY TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, NEIGHBORHOOD CONVENIENCE SHOPPING CENTERS AND FREESTANDING RETAIL AND SERVICE USES IN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN DISTRICT" AS INDICATED ON THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP. SUCH PROVISIONS SHALL APPLY ONLY TO THOSE PERMITTED USES WHICH ARE PROCESSED AND APPROVED UNDER SECTION 29-526 (LAND DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE SYSTEM FOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS). THESE PROVISIONS SHALL APPLY ONLY TO FINAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS APPROVED ON OR AFTER (date of enactment). A) SIGNS REGULATED UNDER SECTION 29-593.1 SHALL CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 29, ARTICLE IV, EXCEPT THAT WHEN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS ARE APPLICABLE TO A PARTICULAR SIGN, THE MORE RESTRICTIVE LIMITATION SHALL APPLY. BAS A REQUIREMENT FOR APPROVAL, ALL SIGNS SHALL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE APPROVED PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 29-577, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE SHALL MEAN THAT ALL CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD UPON ITS APPROVAL OF THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN HAVE BEEN MET AND THE LOCATION AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED SIGN IS IN GENERAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE APPROVED PLAN. C) NO SIGN SHALL PROJECT MORE THAN TWELVE (12) INCHES BEYOND THE BUILDING FASCIA. UNDER CANOPY SIGNS WHICH ARE PERPENDICULAR TO THE FACE OF THE BUILDING SHALL BE EXEMPTED FROM THIS REQUIREMENT EXCEPT THAT THEY SHALL BE LIMITED TO FOUR (4) SQUARE FEET IN AREA PER FACE. D) FREESTANDING OR GROUND SIGNS SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER, SIZE, AND HEIGHT: MAXIMUM NUMBER MAXIMUM AREA SIGNS PERMITTED MAXIMUM USE PER SIGN FACE PER STREET FRONTAGE HEIGHT RETAIL AND PRIMARY-24 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - 1 PRIMARY- SERVICE USES 4 FT. NEIGHBORHOOD PRIMARY-40 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - 1 PRIMARY- CONVENIENCE 8 FT. SHOPPING CTR NEIGHBORHOOD PRIMARY-55 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - I PRIMARY- SERVICE CTR SECONDARY-32 SQ.FT. SECONDARY - 1 10 FT. SECONDARY- 6 FT. E) FREESTANDING SIGNS SHALL BE PERMITTED ONLY IF CONSTRUCTED WITH A SUPPORTING SIGN STRUCTURE WHICH EXCEEDS SEVENTY (7w PERCENT OF THE WIDTH OF THE SIGN FACE. FREESTANDING OR GROUND SIGNS SHALL CONTAIN NO MORE THAN TWO (2) FACES. NO-FREESTANDING OR GROUND SIGN SHALL BE LOCATED LESS THAN T ) FEWENTY-FIVE (25 FROM ANY ADJACENT EXISTING OR PLANNED RESIDENTIAL USE. /DU _ /trva80.CS.f. ) F) ALL SIGNS SHALL MATCH THE PRIMARY FINISH AND COLORS OF THE ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE(S). G) SIGNS SHALL BE UNIFIED AND COORDINATED WITH OTHER SIGNS BY INCORPORATING COMMON DESIGN ELEMENTS CHOSEN BY THE APPLICANTS AS FOLLOWS: A INDIVIDUAL LETTER (CHOICE OF THREE - RETURN COLOR - TRIM CAP - FACE COLOR - LIGHTING TYPE - LOGO "BUBBLE" -LETTER STYLE (MAXIMUM OF TWO) - HEIGHT OF LETTERS (MAXIMUM OF TWO) B. CABINETS LCHOICE OF TWO) - RETURN COLOR - OPAQUE BACKGROUND COLOR - LETTER COLOR - LETTER STYLE (CHOICE OF TWO) C. SIGN SHAPE (Choice of ) D. SIGN TYPE (CHOICE OF TWO) - WALL SIGNS PROJECTING SIGN - AWNING SIGN - WINDOW SIGN E. METHOD OF ILLUMINATION (Choice of ) H) ALL SIGNS WHICH ARE GREATER THAN FOUR (4) SQUARE FEET IN AREA, EXCEPT GROUND SIGNS AND THOSE SIGNS WHICH REPLICATE A BUSINESS LOGO, MUST BE COMPRISED ONLY OF INDIVIDUAL LETTERS OR CABINETS WHEREIN ONLY THE LETTERS ARE ILLUMINATED. I) THE MAXIMUM SIZE OF INDIVIDUAL LETTERS AND LOGO'S ON FLUSH WALL SIGNS AND FLUSH WALL CABINETS SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS: MAXIMUM MAXIMUM MAXIMUM USE LETTER HEIGHT LOGO HEIGHT CABINET HEIGHT RETAIL AND SERVICE USES 12" 12" 18" NEIGHBORHOOD CONVENIENCE SHOPPING CTR 18" 18" 24" NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CTR 24"* 24"* 30" *Any individual tenant space exceeding thirty-thousand (30,000) square feet in floor area shall be permitted one (1) flush wall sign with individual letters and/or logo's not to exceed thirty-six inches in height. J) IF SIGNS ARE ILLUMINATED, ONLY INTERNAL ILLUMINATION SHALL BE PERMITTED. THIS REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT APPLY TO FREESTANDING OR GROUND SIGNS. K) THE CUMULATIVE LENGTH OF ANY FLUSHWALL SIGN FOR EACH TENANT SPACE SHALL BE LIMITED TO SIXTY-FIVE 6 PERCENT OF THE WIDTH OF THE TENANT STOREFRONT, BUT NO SINGLE SIGN SHALL EXCEED FORTY (40) FEET IN LENGTH. EACH TENANT SPACE SHALL BE ALLOWED ONE SUCH FLUSHWALL SIGN ON EACH EXTERIOR BUILDING WALL DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE TENANT SPACE. IN THE EVENT THAT A TENANT SPACE DOES NOT CONTAIN A DIRECTLY ADJACENT EXTERIOR WALL, ONE SIGN NOT EXCEEDING THIRTY (30) SQUARE FEET MAY BE ERECTED ON AN EXTERIOR WALL OF THE BUILDING FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING THAT TENANT SPACE. L NO ILLUMINATED SIGN VISIBLE FROM OR WITHIN THREE HUNDRED (300)FEET OF AN ADJACENT EXISTING OR PLANNED RESIDENTIAL USE MAY BE ILLUMINATED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:00 P.M. OR NE-HALF HOUR AFTER THE USE TO WHICH IT IS APPURTENANT IS CLOSED WHICHEVER IS LATER AND 7:00 A.M. EXCEPT HOWEVER THIS TIME SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY LIGHT PRIMARILY USED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PREMISES OR FOR SAFETY PURPOSES OR A SI N WHICH IS SEPARATED_ FROM A RESIDENTIAL USE BY AN ARTERIAL STREET. M) ONE FLUSHWALL SIGN PER STREET FRONTAGE. NOT TO EXCEED TEN (10) SQUARE FEET IN AREA. SHALL BE PERMITTED ON THE FASCIA OF A CANOPY COVERING THE RETAIL DISPENSING OR SALES OF VEHICULAR FUELS N) AWNING SIGNS SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO BE BACK-LIT EXCEPT FOR INDIVIDUAL LETTERS AND BUSINESS LOGO ONLY. THE EXTENT OF SIGNAGE ON AN AWNING SHALL BE LIMITED TO TWENTY-FIVE (25) PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AREA OF THE AWNING, AND SHALL BE APPLIED TO THE VERTICAL PORTION OF THE AWNING THAT IS PARALLEL TO THE BUILDING FRONT. AWNING SIGNS SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED ABOVE THE FIRST STORY OF A BUILDING. O) FOR THE FIRST TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET IN BUILDING FRONTAGE LENGTH IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER, THE MAXIMUM SIGN AREA PERMITTED SHALL BE EQUAL TO ONE AND ONE-QUARTER (1 1/4) SQUARE FEET FOR EACH LINEAR FOOT OF BUILDING FRONTAGE LENGTH. FOR THAT PORTION OF A BUILDING FRONTAGE WHICH EXCEEDS TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET IN LENGTH, THE MAXIMUM SIGN AREA PERMITTED SHALL BE EQUAL TO TWO-THIRDS (2/3) FOOT FOR EACH LINEAR FOOT OF BUILDING FRONTAGE LENGTH OVER SUCH TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET. P) FOR THE FIRST TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET IN BUILDING FRONTAGE LENGTH IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CONVENIENCE SHOPPING CENTER, RETAIL OR SERVICE USE, THE MAXIMUM SIGN AREA PERMITTED SHALL BE EQUAL TO ONE (I) SQUARE FOOT FOR EACH LINEAR FOOT OF BUILDING FRONTAGE LENGTH. FOR THAT PORTION OF A BUILDING FRONTAGE WHICH EXCEEDS TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET IN LENGTH, THE MAXIMUM SIGN AREA PERMITTED SHALL BE EQUAL TO ONE-HALF (1/2) FOOT FOR EACH LINEAR FOOT OF BUILDING FRONTAGE OVER SUCH TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET. IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC SIZE ALLOWANCE PERMITTED UNDER SUBSECTION 29- 2-1 O AND EXTRA SIZE CAN BE OBTAINED IF ONLY IDENTIFICATION OF THE NAME AND/OR LOGO OF THE RETAIL CENTER OR BUSINESS PARK IS USED ON THE PRIMARY GROUND SIGN THE SIGN AREA MAY BE INCREASED BY AN ADDITIONAL FIVE (5) PERCENT R) PERMANENTLY AFFIXED WINDOWS SIGNS SHALL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF TWENTY-FIVE (25) PERCENT OF THE WINDOW AREA. SIGNS VISIBLE THROUGH A WINDOW ON A PERMANENT BASIS, NOT AFFIXED TO WINDOW AND WITHIN THREE (3) FEET OF THE WINDOW GLASS, SHALL BE CONSIDERED A aU�° WINDOW SIGN. S) WINDOW SIGNS, EXCEPT IDEOLOGICAL SIGNS, WHICH ARE NOT PERMANENTLY AFFIXED OR ATTACHED SHALL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF FIFTEEN (15) PERCENT OF THE AREA OF THE ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT WINDOW AREA. U Section 2. Amend (b) of the Land Development Guidance System relating to preliminary architectural elevations as follows: Amen " " as follows: " . PreliminM architectulalelevations f all buildings sufficient to conva the basic architectural intent of the pLQWsed improvements. INCLUDING THE LOCATION OF PROPOSED FLUSHWALL SIGNS. Section 3 Add a new criterion to the ALL DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY of the Land Development Guidance System as follow 47. ARE FLUSHWALL SIGNS POSITIONED WITHIN ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT FEATURES OF THE BUILDINGS) AND DO THEY ALIGN WITH ANY OTHER ADJACENT SIGNS OF THE SAME TYPE? Note: The City's Zoning Code contains the following definitions for the various types of center mentioned in the proposed amendments to the Sign Code. "Shopping Center shall mean a group of more than four (4) retail and service establishments located in a complex which is planned, developed, owned or managed as a unit, with off-street parking provided on the property". "Community/Regional Shopping Center. A cluster of retail and service establishments designed to serve consumer demands from the community as a whole or a larger area. The primary functional offering is at least one full-line department store. The center also includes associated support shops which provide a variety of shopping goods including general merchandise, apparel, home furnishings, as well as a variety of services, and perhaps entertainment and recreational facilities." Example: Foothills Fashion Mall Pavilion Shopping Center Arbor Plaza Harmony Market "Neighborhood Service Center- A shopping and service center, approximately 15 acres in size, designed to meet consumer demands from an adjacent neighborhood. The primary functional offering is usually a supermarket grocer store with an approximately equivalent amount of associated mixed retail and service-oriented gross square footage. Other functional offerings may include employment uses, such as offices and/or commercial development traditionally located along major arterial streets." Example: Scotch Pines Shopping Center Cedarwood Plaza Raintree Shopping Center Drake Crossing Shopping Center "Neighborhood Convenience Shopping Center"- A shopping and service center situated on seven or less acres with four or more business establishments located in a complex which is planned, developed, and managed as a unit, and located within and intended to primarily serve the consumer demands of adjacent residential neighborhoods..." Example: Cimmaron Plaza Collindale Convenience Center