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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1-5-00 PC MinutesWNINON NMYOAT UNWIN Mill January 5, 2000 City Council Chambers A workshop was held on January 5, 2000 with the following members present: Commission members present: Chairman Laurie Leister Commissioner Bill Lucas Commissioner Marty Craig Council members present: Councilmember Guy Goodson Also present: Stephen Richardson, Planning Manager; Murray Duren, Senior Planner; Tyrone Cooper, First Assistant City Attorney; Stephen Bonczek, City Manager; Kyle Hayes, Executive Assistant to City Manager; Don Burrell, Building Official; Chris Bennett, Plans Examiner and Jill Cole, Recording Secretary. WORKSHOP Chairman Leister. welcomed everyone to the workshop and told everyone present to feel free to comment at any time. She explained that there were a number of questions when the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed sign ordinance at the last meeting. The Commission felt that it should be discussed in a workshop format with business owners, etc. that might have some input and possibly make some adjustments or refinements to the ordinance. Mr. Richardson explained that the Planning Commission met with City Council about a year ago and discussed their concern of how the west end of Beaumont was developing. One of the main concerns was signage. The subject area is from the west side of Major Drive to 100 feet north of Highway 105 to 100' east of Old Dowlen Road to 100' east of Dowlen Road and to 100' south of Major Drive. The area used to be An-toco property and they are now in the process of selling most of it. This will probably be the major development area for Beaumont for the next 20-30 years and everyone would like to see the area develop nicely and be a real asset to the City. The Planning Commission worked with city staff in developing the regulations that we are looking at now. This Major/Dowlen/Gladys/Hwy. 105 Overlay District is an attempt to regulate signage in the area. Basically what it will do is require monument type signs, Mr. Planning Commission January 5, 2000 Richardson showed photos of monument signs located along Highway 6 in Sugarland. Staff feels that these types of signs would be very attractive and reduce the clutter that is seen in other parts of the City and other cities. One of the other things that is being recommended in the draft is prohibiting billboards. There is a seven year amortization period in that all legal non -conforming signs at the end of the seven years would have to be removed or made to conform to the regulations. Also, the ordinance states that if there is a change due to ownership, change of use of the building which would require changing the sign, then that would kick in this requirement that the signs be made legal and conforming to the regulations, W'hat is proposed is that owner identification signs would be a maximum of 6' in height, 60 square feet in area and a 10' setback. For multi -tenant shopping properties there would be a 20' maximum height, 200 sq. ft. in area and a 10' setback, Mr, Richardson said that there was a similar district along the M. L. K. Park -way Corridor. It is an overlay that goes over the existing zoning. In other words, if the property is zoned general commercial, it stays general commercial, and the overlay district has nothing to do with how the property can be used. The overlay governs signage only. Mr. Richardson reviewed the main topics of the proposed ordinance. 1) Monument versus non -monument type signs. Concern has been raised that competitors that are located close to businesses, but outside the district can have signs up to 50' in height. 2) The amortization period of seven years, 3) The banning of billboards. Some feel that it is setting a precedent for banning billboards in other parts of the City. 4) How monument signs will be handled for large multi -tenant tracts is another area of concern and may need a little more research. 5) Setbacks. Chairman Leister asked for comments from the audience. George Crawford of Lamar Advertising asked for clarification of the boundaries on Highway 105. Mr. Richardson said that the text needs to be corrected to include both the north and south sides of Highway 105, Mr. Crawford voiced his opposition for the removal of billboards. That would harmful to his business and he believes that it is also going to set a precedent. Mr. Crawford argued that this proposed ordinance will affect the use of the properties in that it would prohibit property owners from leasing sites for billboards. To prohibit billboards would affect the advertisers that advertise on billboards because of the cost as opposed to radio and N Planning Commission January 5, 2000 television. Mr. Crawford also stated that he should be compensated by the City if they are going to force him to remove his billboards. Mr. Gary Sitton of Sitton Oil asked Mr. Richardson to, clarify boundaries on Dowlen Road. Discussion followed between Sam Parigi and Mr. Richardson on how monument signs will work for multi -tenant properties. It is proposed that there will be one 20' high 200 square foot maximum sign on each street frontage that would have the tenants names on it, Chairman Leister said that this would be an area for input from the audience and to discuss and possibly adjust the size of the signs for multi -tenant properties. Mr. Parigi feels that it would be more attractive to have one big i.d. sign that four 200' signs. Mr. Richardson said that they proposing one big sign on each street frontage, so if the property is on a comer of has two street frontages, there would be one big sign on each street frontage. The 200 square foot size is open for discussion. Mr. Parigi addressed the amortization period. He said he was concerned that the City could force someone to take signs down. Mr. Charlie Weinbaum asked why staff is targeting this particular area and not the entire city. Chairman Leister answered that it is primarily because the area is not developed yet. Mr. Lan Phelan stated that he felt the 200 square foot was too small and didn't allow enough flexibility. Mr. Parigi said he felt that the boundaries need to be redrawn to include Wal-Mart, etc., because the ordinance penalizes some business owners and not others. Discussion of boundary lines followed. Mr. Sitton said that the height of the sign is an issue with him. Oil companies, have found that when prices of gas are put up in the air, it allows the driver to see it, took at his gas gauge and exit. He said that he would have an unfair trade advantage compared to the vendors on College Street for example. Dave Willis with D & S Signs said he considers the M. L. K. Overlay to be unsuccessful and is costing the taxpayers money. Discussion of the seven year amortization period followed. Vivian Bagwell of Texas Department of Transportation addressed the Commission. She asked what were the safety features of the monument signs (breakaway feature). Planning Commission January 5, 2000 Mr. Parigi suggested that a committee be formed similar to the Zoning Development Committee that was formed to work on new zoning districts. Further discussion followed between staff and the Commission members and it was decided that a committee would be formed to further discuss the proposed sign ordinance. OTHER BUSINESS THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING ADJOURNED. CI