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Amending Chapter 64 of the Legislative Code pertaining to signs.
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WHEREAS, the Planning Commission duly conducted a public hearing on June 1, 2018 regarding the potential amendments to the Zoning Code pertaining to signs; and
WHEREAS, in a memo dated June 29, 2018 PED staff submitted a report to the Planning Commission in which final recommendations and a rationale for amending specific sections of the Zoning Code regulating signs were set forth; and
WHEREAS, on June 29, 2018, the Planning Commission, based upon the staff report and the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee’s recommendation and all the testimony received from the June 1, 2018 public hearing, duly submitted its recommendation to amend certain sections of the Zoning Code regulating signs to the Mayor and City Council for its review and consideration, and;
WHEREAS, a public hearing before the City Council having been duly conducted at which all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard, and having considered all the testimony and recommendations concerning the proposed zoning text amendments, including the Planning Commission’s minutes and the staff memorandum to the Planning Commission and its rationale for the recommended Zoning Code amendments which the Council finds persuasive and thus hereby incorporates by reference for enacting the recommended amendments as set forth below in Section 1, in addition to any other reasons the Council might articulate on the record in adopting these proposed zoning amendments the Council, having considered all the facts and recommendations concerning the proposed zoning amendments and pursuant to the authority granted by and in accordance with the procedures set forth in Minnesota Statutes Sec. 462.357 states as follows:
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
SECTION 1
Chapter 64. Zoning Code - Signs
Sec. 64.103. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.103. A.
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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 one thousand (10,000) spectators shall be considered as accessory. Billboards are a form of advertising sign. Advertising signs located on transit stop stations, courtesy benches and newsracks 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 64.420. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.420. Advertising signs.
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(b) Professional sports facility. At a professional sports facility with permanent seating for more than ten one thousand 10,000 spectators and located in a B4-B5 Business 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 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 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. 64.121. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.121. S.
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Sports facility sponsorship sign. An accessory sign that is located at a ballfield, soccer field, hockey rink, or golf course, or professional soccer stadium used by the public for athletic activities, and that identifies a sponsor in recognition of the sponsor's financial support for the sports facility and sports programs at the facility.
Sec 64.421. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.421. Sports facility sponsorship signs.
Sports facility sponsorship signs are permitted in all zoning districts as accessory uses at the following places: golf courses; hockey rinks at McMurray Field; city-owned soccer fields, 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, and the professional soccer stadium. Sports facility sponsorship signs are subject to the following required standards:
(a) 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.
(b) Signs at hockey rinks shall be on the interior sides of the hockey boards.
(c) Signs at baseball, and softball, and soccer fields shall be oriented toward the field of play. Such signs shall not exceed twenty-four (24) square feet per sign face, except at the municipal ballpark where larger signs are permitted because it is an enclosed facility.
(d) Signs at the professional soccer stadium shall be at the main spectator gate entrances, the premium gate entry and on wayfinding kiosks. Northeast and northwest gate entrance signs shall not exceed ninety (90) square feet per sign face; southeast and southwest gate entrance signs shall not exceed one hundred thirty (130) square feet per sign face; premium gate entrance signs shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet per sign face. Signs on wayfinding kiosks shall not exceed five (5) square feet per sign face on each side of two-sided kiosks.
(de) 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 the municipal ballpark, product advertising signs are permitted.
(ef) Signs shall not be illuminated except by the regular sports facility lighting during hours of use., except that sponsorship signs at the professional soccer stadium may be illuminated.
(fg) Signs shall be maintained in good condition.
(gh) 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. 64.502. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.502. RL-RM3 residential and entirely residential uses in T1-T4 traditional neighborhood districts.
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(b) Temporary signs:
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(3) For all uses, one (1) two (2) signs not exceeding a total of fifty (50) square feet in area identifying an engineer, architect or contractor engaged in, or product used in, the construction of a building.
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Sec. 64.503. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.503. T1-T4 traditional neighborhood and OS-BC business districts.
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(b) Temporary signs:
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(3) For all uses, one (1) two (2) signs not exceeding a total of fifty (50) square feet in area identifying an engineer, architect or contractor engaged in, or product used in, the construction of a building.
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Sec. 64.505. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.505. B4-B5 business districts.
(a) Business and identification signs:
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(3) The height of signs shall be subject to the conditions specified in section 64.503(a)(3) 64.503(a)(4).
Sec. 64.625. of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 64.625. White Bear Avenue special district sign plan.
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(e) Business signs. Business signs are necessary for …
(1) Business signs shall be used to …
(2) Roof signs shall be parallel to the wall of the building and used to match rooflines and unify sign bands on adjacent buildings. Roof signs shall not be used for advertising.
(3) Wall signs shall cover neither windows nor …
(4) (3) Ground Freestanding signs are recommended for institutional, professional and industrial buildings. Ground Freestanding signs for individual establishments should be used only when a building is set back fifteen (15) feet or more from the street right-of-way. Ground Freestanding signs for individual establishments shall be placed parallel to the street and shall be no higher than twenty (20) feet above grade at the highest point. Structural elements of the sign should be painted black or another dark color.
(5) (4) Grouped signs are used to identify multiple …
(6) (5) Projecting signs are effective for both …
(7) Pole signs can bring a business with a setback up to the street. Like projecting signs, pole signs are effective for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, but they also can be a source of sign clutter. Pole signs are permitted for individual buildings that are occupied by a single business and that have a setback from the street right-of-way of thirty-five (35) feet or more. Pole signs shall use as little structure as possible, shall be stationary, and shall be no higher than twenty (20) feet above grade at the highest point. Structural elements of the sign should be painted black or another dark color.
(8) (6) Permanent window signs are permitted and shall …
(9) (7) Portable signs shall not be permitted in the White Bear Avenue sign district.
(10) (8) Banners identifying White Bear Avenue business districts attached to street lights are permitted. They shall be designed with a common shape within the sign district, while patterns may reflect the neighborhood designation.
SECTION 2
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30 days) following its passage, approval, and publication.