HomeMy WebLinkAboutAMENDMENT TO FORT COLLINS SIGN CODE - RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN DISTRICT - 38-92 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - Staff's Project Comments (10) Developr,;nt Services
Planning Department
City of Fort Collins
April 2, 1992
MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning and Zoning Board
FROM: Joe Frank, Assistant Planning Director
RE: Signs in Neighborhood Commercial Areas Project
Attached is the latest draft of the proposed changes to the Sign Code related to "neighborhood
commercial areas".
Peter Barnes and myself have been spending the last few months preparing these guidelines with
the assistance of a committee of sign company representatives. The attached draft, we believe,
addresses the many concerns that we heard earlier from the Planning and Zoning Board and sign
company representatives.
We will be presenting the sign code changes to you at your work session on April 8, 1992. We
anticipate holding another, more detailed discussion with the Board in May or June.
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6750
1
SIGNS IN NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AREAS PROTECT
PROPOSED CODE CHANGES
(March 11, 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 na
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 ChanEes
Section 1. Add to the Sign Code a new subsection "29-593.1. 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 ECTION 29-526 (LAND DEVELOPMENT
GUIDANCE SYSTEM FOR PLANNED U T DEVELOPMENTS). THESE PROVISIONS
SHALL APPLY ONLY TO FINAL PLA D 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.
B AS 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 N AND ZONING BOARD UPON ITS APPROVAL
UNIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN HAVEBEEN E LOCATIOL
F THE PRQPQSED 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.
ey�l 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 FR NTAGE HEIGHT
RETAIL AND PRIMARY-24 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - 1 �MARY-
SERVICE USES
NEIGHBORHOOD PRIMARY-40 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - 1 PRIMARY-
CONVENIENCE g FT.
SHOPPING CTR
NEIGHBORHOOD PRIMARY-55 SQ.FT. PRIMARY - 1 PRIMARY-
SERVICE CTR SECONDARY-32 SQ.FT. SECONDARY - 1 10 FT.
SECONDARY-
6 FT.
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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.
K) NO ILLUMINATED SIGN VISIBLE FROM OR WITHIN THREE HUNDRED (300) FEET
OF AN ADJACENT EXISTING OR PLANNEDRUIDENTIAL USE MAY BE
ILLUMINATED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:00 P.M. OR ONE-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 SIGN WHICH IS SEPARATED FROM A RESIDENTIAL USE BY AN
ARTERIAL STREET. Z5`' I�, ,r 5�
FL\)SNJ-Au- v o j
L ONF. A L SIGNVPER STREET FRONTAGE NOT -1'0 EX XI) TEN (IOj
SQUARE FEET IN AREA, SHALL BL• PERMITTED ON THE FASCIA OF A CANOPY
COVERING THE RETAIL DISPENSING OR SALES OF VEHICULAR FUELS,
M) 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.
N) 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.
O) 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 (1)
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.
P) IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC SIZE ALLOWANCE PERMITTED UNDER
SUBSECTION 29-592-1 M AND_(0). EXTRA_ SIZE CAN BE OBTAINED IF ONLY
IDENTIFICATION OF THE NAME AND/OR LOGO OF THE RETAIL CENTER OR
0-1 BUSINESS PARK IS USED ON THE PRI fjRQUND SIGN, THE, SIQjN AREA MAY
V BE INCREASED BY AN ADDITIONAL PER .ENT
'�Q) PERMANENTLY AFFIXED WINDOWf,S�IGNS ALL BE LIMrEDTOAMAXIMUM
OF FIFTEEN (15) PERCENT OF THE WINDOW AREA. SIGNS THROUGH A
WINDOW ON A PERMANENT BASIS, NOT AFFIXED TO WINDOW AND WITHIN
THREE (3) FEET OF THE WINDOW GLASS, SHALL B CONSIDERED A WI 0
SIGN. `
R) WINDOW SIGNS, EXCEPT IDEOLOGICAL SIGNS, WHICH ARE NOT
PERMANENTLY AFFIXED OR ATTACHED SHALL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF
TWENTY-FIVE(25) PERCENT OF THE AREA OF THE ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT
WINDOW AREA.
Section 2. Amend (b) of the Land Development Guidance System relating to preliminary
architectural elevations as follows:
Amend "(b)" as follows:
"(b). Preliminary architectural elevations of all buildings sufficient to convey the basic
architectural intent of the proposed 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 follows:
47. ARE FLUSHWALL SIGNS PQSITIONED 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
Ralntree 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