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Home My WebLink AboutOCTOBER 14,1975 21:8893 M 1 NUT E S CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA STUDY SESSION OCTOBER 14, 1975 I"~= The City Council of the City of Arcadia met in Study Session on Tuesday October 14, 1975 at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Room for the purpose of reviewing and discussing the sign ordinance and other regulatory ordinances which have been pending for some time. a PRESENT: ABSENT: Council Members Lauber, Saelid, Helms, Scott, Gilb None SIGN ORDINANCE. Council had received an. explanation of these requirements from the City Attorney dated June 24, 1975. Council adopted sign regulations covering commercial zones on or about April 4, 1969. All signs in C-2 zones were prohibited except as expressly permitted and listed in the report. Signs which were in existence on April 4, 1969 but which did not comply with the new sign ordinance were allowed to remain as nonconforming uses until April 4, 1975 at which .time they were to be made to comply or be removed. The sign abatement program which commenced on April 4, 1975 has been continuing on a volunt.ary basis with relatively good results. Sign regulations were indicated as to location, number permitted, size of an area, height clearance and projection. Slides were reviewed by Council of the appearance of various business establishments before and after certain non~conforrning signs were removed. Also areas which are in total compliance with the regulations. Some remaining non-conforming signs were also displayed. It was the consensus that signs should be uniform throughout the City in business sectionso Some' discussion on extending the time for compliance and it was sub- mitted by staff that a deadline might be established for the filing of a modification application which would then be reviewed and a determination made by the Modification Committee with a provision for appeal to the City Council, I Inasmuch as local businessmen were in attendance discussion was held on whether or not to permit them to speak to any of the agenda items. Councilman Helms felt it would be a mistake as there is a time and place to bring public testimony before Council, i.e., in public hearings where all interested persons would have an equal opportunity to be heard, It was his understanding that this meeting was to be a study session between Cou!1cil and staff without public input. He suggested that letters could be sent in and Council could consider the contents. He said this has never been done before during his tenure as a Councilman and he did not want to be a party to it at this time. Mayor Gilb concurred. Council Member Lauber then MOVED that persons desiring to speak to agenda items be permitted so to do. Motion seconded by Councilman Saelid and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Council Members Lauber, Saelid, Scott Council Members Be.lms, Gilb None Councilman Helms retired from the meeting at 8:45 p.m. James R. Plotkin, 1216 S. Baldwin Avenue, advised that he had complied with the sign ordinance at the time he erected his store sign about 10-14-75 - 1 - 21:8894 five years ago and had spent considerable in advertising; that even today after all his efforts people come into his store saying they did not know the store was there. He said in his opinion this has been caused in part by the size of the trees on the west side of Baldwin Avenue (private property). He asked Council to cons~der permitting the east side of Baldwin to have free standing signs similar to those on the west side, Evelyn Jones, Secretary to the West Arcadia Business and Professional Association, referred to communications which had been directed to the City Council and the Planning Commission some time ago setting forth procedures for this type of advertising which had been used successfully by another California city. Responding to a question about the trimming or thinning of the trees on the west. side which are quite I high and profuse Mrs. Jones said the owner of the property on the west side has been contacted in this regard. She then presented a petition signed by businessmen along both sides of Baldwin Avenue indicating that in return for permission to have free standing signs the merchants would bear all expenses and utilities would be placed underground where necessary. Each free standing sign would be shared by two merchants and it would be placed between the two stores, All other signs would be removed. Henry Hege, representing Arcadia Parking, Inc., advised that the property on the west side of Baldwin is under one common ownership and the owners had wanted trees in t.he beginning and that he did not know if the trees could be satisfactorily thinned or trimmed. He asked whether or not modification applications could be filed at this time. He spoke to free standing signs on the west side of Baldwin from Duarte south to Naomi and to the existing roof sign on Hinshaws, Staff suggested that modification sign applications could be considered individually hy the Modification Committee and determinations could be made with a provision for an appeal from that decision to the Council, The City Attorney explained that staff will notify those with non- conforming signs and advise them that there is a modification procedure available to them if they wish to avail themselves of that route. Council then considered outside display of merchandise - primarily natural floral and plant displays for decorative purposes only. Staff advised how this could be accomplished if Council agrees. These displays could be excluded from the ordinance and staff would have to make certain the pedestrian would be protected from any hazard from the display, i.e., not permit any display if the sidewalk were only 5 feet. During this discussion Mr. Gray, attorney for Ralph's Markets, said he had been informed that there would be a study session on this date to consider other outdoor display of merchandise - primarily in this case that of water dispensers and kiddie rides and that he had come prepared to present arguments, however, he did not want to intrude I and would only submit that he had a petition with about 300 signatures of people who would like to have the water dispensers remain at two Ralph's locations. He explained the operation of the machines. He said it is not feasible for the machines to be put inside the stores. Some discussion held on the use of parking lots for sale of Christmas trees. This will be on the agenda for November 4. The water machine matter will be on the agenda for November 18. Considerable discussion ensued on the proposed ordinance regulating licensing of patio, garage and backyard sales. It was the consensus that these sales should not be visible from the street, not in a front yard, a sign advertising the sale would be on the subject property only, and sales not to he held in a driveway. Enforcement would be needed because so many signs are placed on telephone poles, street corners, in the median strips, and the like. The City Attorney 10-14-75 - 2 - ~\"\,!,\.",,, ":: -.J<." ~ .....,1"..'1': ..... 21: 8895 will redraft the ordinance for Council consideration. An agenda item, executive compensation, was not discussed at this time. The Planning Director advised of the possibility of a request coming in for a General Plan designation for commercial on property at the southeast corner of Foothill and Michillinda. I The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m. Due to advice that there will not be a quorum on October 21 (date of the next regular Council meeting) this meeting was adjourned to 7 p.m. November 4, 1975 in the Conference Room. City Clerk ~ I 10-14-75 - 3 - I DUE TO LACK OF A QUORUM TIlE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 21, 1975 HAS BEEN ADJOURNED. ~~) I 21: 1895a 10-21-75