Title
Amending Legislative Code Chapter 64 pertaining to sign regulations in the City of Saint Paul.
Body
STATEMENT OF FINDINGS BY THE COUNCIL
WHEREAS, § 61.801 of the zoning code calls for periodic review of the zoning code to reflect current city policies, to address current technology and market conditions, and to bring the zoning code up-to-date; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, in resolution 14-05 on January 24, 2014, initiated a study of zoning code amendments pertaining to Chapter 64 - Signs, specifically related to sports facilities, bicycle sharing facilities, transit stop shelters, and minor text amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendments on July 11, 2014, revised the draft amendments based on the written testimony received during the public comment period and the recommendation of its Comprehensive Planning Committee; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, on August 08, 2014 forwarded its recommendation for amendments to the zoning code pertaining to Chapter 64 - Signs, along with an August 4, 2014 memorandum from its Comprehensive Planning Committee to the City Council for its review and adoption; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing before the City Council having been conducted at which all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard, the Council having considered all the facts and recommendations concerning the proposed zoning amendments, pursuant the authority granted by and in accordance with the procedures set forth in Minnesota Statutes Sec. 462.357;
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES HEREBY ORDAIN:
SECTION 1
Legislative Code Chapter 64 - Signs is hereby amended as follows:
Sec. 64.102. Definitions.
All words and terms not defined in this chapter which are defined in the Minnesota State Building Code or elsewhere in the zoning code of the City of Saint Paul shall be interpreted as therein defined. Otherwise, for the purposes of this chapter, terms and words not herein defined shall have the meaning customarily assigned to them. Certain words and terms shall be defined as follows.
Sec. 64.103. A.
Advanced speed arteries. A limited access freeway or other road upon portions of which speeds of forty-five (45) miles per hour or greater are permitted.
Advertising sign. A sign which directs attention to a business, profession, commodity, service or entertainment which is conducted, sold or manufactured elsewhere than on the premises upon which the sign is placed. It shall be considered as a nonaccessory sign except that an advertising sign on a professional sports facility with permanent seating for more than ten thousand (10,000) six thousand (6,000) ten thousand (10,000) spectators shall be considered as accessory. Billboards are a form of advertising sign. Advertising signs located on bus transit stop stations, courtesy benches and newsstandsracks are regulated under other chapters and are not subject to the requirements of this chapter. Sports facility sponsorship signs are a special type of off-premise sign and are subject to different regulations from advertising signs.
Sec. 64.104. B.
Bus stop shelter. Bus stop shelters are regulated under appendix I and are not subject to the requirements of this chapter.
Courtesy bench. Courtesy benches are regulated under chapter 315 Chapter 127, Courtesy Benches, and are not subject to the requirements of this chapter.
Sec. 64.116. N.
Newsstandrack. Newsstandracks are regulated under chapter 128131 and are not subject to the requirements of this chapter.
Sec. 64.118. P.
Projecting sign. A sign, other than a wall or roof sign, that which projects from and is supported by a wall or a building or structure.
Sec. 64.120. R.
Real estate sign. A temporary sign placed upon a property advertising that particular property for sale, rent or lease, and excluding a cloth, vinyl or banner sign, which are regulated under section 64.402(m)(3) 64.419(d).
Roof sign. A sign mounted erected upon or above a roof or parapet that projects above the top of a building or structure wall.
Sec. 64.122. T.
Transit stop station. Transit stop stations are regulated under appendix I of the city's legislative code and are not subject to the requirements of this chapter.
Sec. 64.201. Duties of zoning administrator.
(d) The zoning administrator shall not issue any sign permits that do not conform to this chapter. No renewal of an expired permit shall be issued for a use or structure made nonconforming by amendments to this code.
A permit shall be required for all exterior signs visible from a public right-of-way.
(a) Application. Applications for sign and/or sign structure permits shall be submitted to the zoning administrator. Each application shall contain the names and addresses of the owners of the display structure and property; the address at which any signs are to be erected; the lot, block and addition at which advertising signs are to be erected and the street on which they are to front; and a complete set of plans showing the necessary elevations, distances, size and details to fully and clearly represent the construction and placing of the display structure; and a fee as required under chapter 33.04. Structural plans are required for all freestanding signs greater than fifty (50) square feet. Permit applications for advertising signs along state trunk highways and interstate highways shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant has obtained a permit from the state for the advertising sign.
Sec. 64.401. All signs.
(k) Illumination. Flashing signs are prohibited. In residential districts, no sign may exceed a maximum illumination of 0.5 footcandle above ambient light level as measured fifty (50) feet from the sign's face.
l) Only one side of a double-faced sign or V-shaped sign shall be used to compute the gross surface display area, display surface area or sign area of a sign.
(m) Only one side of a double-faced sign or V-shaped sign shall be used to compute the gross surface display area, display surface area or sign area of a sign.
nm) Canopy signs that are parallel to the street shall be regulated as wall signs. Canopy signs that are perpendicular to the street shall be regulated as projecting signs.
(on) Multiple tenant buildings. Any application for a sign permit for a multiple tenant building shall include a master sign plan for the building, drawn to scale and fully dimensioned, showing any exterior signage to be provided. The property owner or the property owner's designee shall be responsible for allocating the allowable sign area among the tenants of the building. If a building will contain multiple uses, a comprehensive sign program shall be established.
po) Signs attached to buildings shall be positioned so that they are an integral design feature of the building, and to complement and enhance the building's architectural features. Signs shall not obscure or destroy architectural details such as stone arches, glass transom panels, or decorative brickwork.
Sec. 64.405. Signs with dynamic display.
(e) Image characteristics, duration, and transition. The following standards shall apply to image duration, transition, and other characteristics of signs with dynamic display. Additional district-specific restrictions are contained in Sec. 64.502, and 64.503 and 64.504.
Sec. 64.414. Roof signs.
(a) Roof signs prohibited. No roof signs are permitted in any zoning district in the City.
(b) Professional sports facility. At a professional sports facility with permanent seating for more than six thousand (6,000) spectators and located in B5 central business-service district, one (1) or two (2) roof signs are permitted as an accessory use subject to the following standards:
(1) For roof signs consisting of lettering with no defined background and that allow visibility through the sign through the spaces, the roof sign area shall be the smallest area encompassing all of the words, numerals, figures, designs, or trademarks, as well as any ornamental strip, border, or design around the edges of the sign, and shall be reduced by fifty (50) percent in calculating the permitted roof signage.
(2) If the zoning administrator determines that the sign lighting affects neighboring properties, roof signs shall not be illuminated overnight, either from midnight or from one (1) hour after the end of any facility event, whichever is later, until 6:00 a.m.
(3) Roof signs with dynamic display are prohibited.
Signs may be placed on, attached to or constructed in a marquee. Such signs shall, for the purpose of determining projection, clearance, height and material, be considered a part of and shall meet the requirements for a marquee as specified in chapter 45section 3106 of the state building code. No such sign shall project above or beyond the physical dimensions of the marquee, except that one (1) sign less than four (4) square feet in size may be attached underneath for each entrance located under the marquee, provided the sign does not project lower than eight (8) feet above the sidewalk.
Sec. 64.420. Advertising signs.
(a) Advertising signs prohibited. No advertising signs are permitted in any zoning district in the city. The purposes of this prohibition are to enhance views of the natural and built environments of the city, to improve aesthetically the fusion of residential and commercial areas, to promote community pride on the part of property owners, to encourage beautification and investment in the city, to protect property values, and to reduce cluttered and chaotic signage, which draws attention away from the identification signs of businesses and institutions located in the city. Existing legal nonconforming advertising signs that are not electrified, or illuminated by any means, as of October 26, 2005, may not be wired for electrification or illumination.
(1) Advertising signs which are not electrified, or illuminated by any means, as of October 26, 2005, may not be wired for electrification or illumination.
ten six ten thousand (10,000) (6,000) 10,000 spectators and located in a B4-B5 Business or IR-I2 Industrial zone, one (1) or two (2) advertising signs are permitted as an accessory use subject to the following standards:
(1) Advertising signs shall face and be designed to be read by traffic on arterial streets as designated in the comprehensive plan. A facility fronting on one (1) arterial street is permitted to have one (1) advertising sign; a facility fronting on two (2) or more arterial streets is permitted to have two (2) advertising signs.
(2) No advertising sign shall be located within three hundred (300) feet of a residential zoning district use, house of worship, or school offering general education courses at the elementary, junior high or high school level.
(3) No advertising sign shall exceed seven hundred (700) square feet in size.
(4) Advertising signs shall be attached to exterior walls of the sports facility structure and shall not project above the wall.
(5) If the zoning administrator determines that the sign lighting affects neighboring properties, advertising signs shall not be illuminated overnight, either from midnight or from one (1) hour after the end of any professional sports game facility event, whichever is later, until 6:00 a.m.
(6) For signs with dynamic display, the modes of display of messages shall conform to the requirements in section 64.405
Sec. 64.421. Sports facility sponsorship signs.
Sports facility sponsorship signs are permitted, without regard to in all zoning districts, as accessory uses at the following places: golf courses; hockey rinks at McMurray Field; Midway Stadium the municipal ballpark; baseball fields owned or operated under a long-term agreement by an established youth baseball organization such as the Little League, Babe Ruth, VFW, or American Legion Baseball; and baseball and softball fields at Dunning Field, Rice-Arlington Field, and Arlington-Arkwright Field. Sports facility sponsorship signs are subject to the following required standards:
(a1) Signs at golf courses shall be integrated with the hole identification signs located at tee boxes and the sponsorship component of such signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet.
(b2) Signs at hockey rinks shall be on the interior sides of the hockey boards.
(c3) Signs at baseball and softball fields shall be on the outfield fences or the scoreboard or both and oriented toward the field of play. Such signs shall not exceed twenty-four (24) square feet per sign face, except at Midway Stadium the municipal ballpark where larger signs are permitted because it is an enclosed facility.
(d4) Each sign shall primarily provide identifying information for a sponsor such as name, address, telephone number, or logo; any product advertising shall be incidental and secondary to sponsor identification. However, at Midway Stadium the municipal ballpark, product advertising signs are permitted.
(e5) Signs shall not be illuminated except by the regular sports facility lighting during hours of use.
(f6) Signs shall be maintained in good condition.
(g7) Signs at facilities owned and managed by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation shall also be subject to general standards for regulating sports facility sponsorship signs.
Sec. 64.422. Bicycle sharing facility sponsorship signs.
Bicycle sharing facility sponsorship signs are permitted in all zoning districts subject to the following required standards:
(a) One (1) sponsorship sign, no more than fifteen (15) square feet in area, is permitted per bicycle sharing facility. The sponsorship sign shall be an integral part of the bicycle sharing facility rack.
(b) The sponsorship sign shall primarily provide identifying information for a sponsor such as name, address, telephone number, or logo; any product advertising shall be incidental and secondary to sponsor identification.
(c) Signs shall not be externally illuminated.
(d) Signs shall be maintained in good condition.
(e) Signs within the public right of way are subject to, and must first have and maintain, a permit from the designated road authority.
Sec. 64.503. T1-T4 traditional neighborhood and OS-BC business districts.
(a) Business and identification signs:
(1) The sum of the gross surface display area in square feet of all business and identification signs on a lot shall not exceed one and one-half (1½) times the lineal feet of lot frontage, or seventy-five (75) square feet, whichever is greater.
(b) Temporary signs:
(5) Temporary window signs, shall cover no more than thirty (30) percent of the store window area, including windows in doors, between four (4) and seven (7) feet above grade and shall not block the view from a public right-of-way into the clerk or cashier station
Sec. 64.504. B2-B3 business and IT industrial districts.
(a) Business and identification signs:
(4) The height of signs shall be subject to the conditions specified in section 64.503(a)(34).
(b) Temporary signs:
(5) Temporary window signs, shall cover no more than thirty (30) percent of the window area, including windows in doors, between four (4) and seven (7) feet above grade and shall not block the view from a public right-of-way into the clerk or cashier station.
Sec. 64.505. B4 - B5 business districts.
(b) Temporary signs. Except for skyway banners and light pole banners, temporary signs shall be permitted as required in section 64.504(b).
(1) Skyway banners. Banners or signs may be affixed to the exterior of skyway bridges provided the following standards are met:
a. The banners serve to promote a legitimate public purpose as established in the written guidelines of the city. These guidelines are developed and updated by a team of city staff from the department of safety and inspections office of license, inspection and environmental protection, the department of public works, the city marketing director, and the city planning commission. The guidelines address appropriate banner purposes, sponsors, and applicants;
c. The banners meet the size standards of section 64.419(d)(3) and also are not more than three (3) feet (thirty-six (36) inches) in height. Sponsorship identification may occupy up to fifteen (15) per cent of the banner face for any number of sponsors. For events with a business name in the title, the sign area taken up by the business name shall not be included as part of the allowed sponsorship area. Banners currently used by organizations that exceed the height or area standards can continue to be used for up to three (3) years after the effective date of this ordinance, provided they are registered with the office of license, inspection and environmental protection before the effective date of the ordinance. After this period, these banners shall be replaced with signs that conform to the size requirement;
(a) Business and identification signs:
(4) The height of signs shall be subject to the conditions specified in section 64.503(a)(34).
(5) Electronic message signs are permitted and subject to the conditions specified in the B-2 and B-3 districts, section 64.504(a)(5).
(c) Within the downtown special sign district, no advertising signs shall be permitted except signs on transit shelters and courtesy benches licensed or franchised by the city as permitted in section 64.420(b) for professional sports facilities.
SECTION 2
This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after its passage, approval and publication.