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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2a: Electronic Display Sign at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.F Incarnnr icd Augur'[ 5, 1903 STAFF REPORT Development Services Department DATE: March 19, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager /Development Services Director By: Jerry Schwartz, Economic Development Manager SUBJECT: CONDITIONALLY APPROVE SIGN MODIFICATION MC 13 -01 TO ALLOW A DIGITAL DISPLAY SIGN AT THE ARCADIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LOCATED AT 388 WEST HUNTINGTON DRIVE Recommended Action: Approve SUMMARY The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce represents the business community and works closely with the City of Arcadia. The Chamber hosts several regular monthly activities and annual special events and promotes important City and community events that occur during the year. The signs in front of the Chamber building have been in place for many years and are showing their age. The Chamber has proposed to convert one of the two signs to an electronic display sign that would allow it to promote Chamber and Citywide events to passersby. The City Council held a Study Session on February 5, 2013, and generally supported the concept of a digital display sign. In the S -2 Zone, where the Chamber office is located, a digital display sign is not allowed by right. A sign modification is required for the Chamber to be able to implement a digital display sign. BACKGROUND At the February 5 Study Session, the City Council was generally supportive of the Chamber's request for a digital display sign. It was directed that, if approved, conditions be established that would allow the Chamber to utilize the proposed new sign without it becoming a distraction for drivers. The Chamber of Commerce occupies its site at 388 West Huntington Drive under a lease with the City of Arcadia. The property is zoned S -2, Public Purpose. There are no sign regulations in the S -2 Zone. Likewise, electronic display signs are not typically allowed in the City of Arcadia. Consideration of an electronic display sign can only be considered pursuant to an application for a sign modification. A similar process was followed when the Arcadia Masonic Center received approval for its LED message board sign. While the Arcadia Masonic Center sign modification request went to the Sign Modification MC 13 -01 March 19, 2013 Page 2 of 4 Modification Committee, the request by the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce is being brought before the City Council as it is on property owned by the City. DISCUSSION The digital display sign would modernize one of the two existing signs outside of the Chamber office. It would allow the Chamber to promote its various activities to anyone who passes by the sign. The Chamber would also use the digital display sign to promote City and community events. Currently, these events and activities are only available to be advertised on the Chamber website, through direct e -mail, or via street banners located throughout the City. The Chamber is proposing to have one sign converted to a digital display, with the area the same as the existing Chamber sign that would be replaced. The proposed sign would be aluminum with a full color LED display and painted returns. The digital display can be fixed or changing. The top address display and the support tubes would be retained from the existing sign. Arcadia Municipal Code Section 9292.1.4 requires that for a modification to be approved, one of following three findings must be made: i. The Modification will secure an appropriate improvement of a lot; or, ii. The Modification will prevent an unreasonable hardship; or, iii. The Modification will promote uniformity of development. The proposed digital display sign would be unique in Arcadia. It would utilize multiple colors and offer graphics that are beyond a typical message board sign. The Chamber of Commerce has a unique role in Arcadia. The Chamber acts as the voice of the business community and its regular monthly programming and annual events are oriented to all local businesses. The Chamber partners with local and regional businesses as sponsors for specific activities, including the Government Affairs Forum, the Monthly Business Breakfasts, and the annual Taste of Arcadia. There is also a current arrangement with Westfield Santa Anita to be the presenting sponsor for the Chamber for a one year period. During the year, the Westfield logo appears next to the Chamber logo on all Chamber material, and would also be expected to be placed on the proposed sign on any image that also included the Chamber logo. The Chamber is also involved with community -wide events, whether they occur at one of the schools or elsewhere in town. The Chamber currently promotes these various programs and events on its website, in its e -mail blasts to members and in its newsletter. The proposed digital display sign will allow the Chamber to enhance its message related to these events and marketing activities. The community will benefit from the visibility of the digital display, which in some cases will promote events that may not have been widely publicized. Finally, the digital display sign has the potential to broadcast emergency and safety messages. For all these reasons, the project will secure an appropriate improvement. This combination of business, City, and community interests put the Chamber of Commerce in a special category in comparison to a private Sign Modification MC 13 -01 March 19, 2013 Page 3 of 4 business that might request to install a digital display sign. While the Chamber has to meet its costs and can expand its events as time and budget allow, profit is not its motivation. As such, approval of this request for a digital display sign should not be viewed as a precedent for private businesses to be granted the ability to have a similar type of sign. One concern that was raised during the review by the Engineering Division is the possibility of future widening of the left turn pocket on westbound Huntington Drive at Holly Street to address current and future traffic in the area. Any widening would take property from the current Chamber site. It is essential that the digital display sign be located so that it would not be impacted by widening of Huntington Drive. The recommended conditions are: 1. The digital display cannot change more frequently than once per minute. This would allow the message to change regularly without constant movement that could be a distraction for drivers. The Chamber would have the option to change the message less frequently depending on the different messages that are being displayed or the desire to focus on one message to attract attention to a specific event (e.g., Taste of Arcadia). 2. The digital display cannot have blinking or flashing messages or moving animation within a given message. Simple transitions between messages are acceptable. An example of an acceptable transition would include, but not be limited to: fading out/in or sliding in from a single direction. An example of prohibited animations would include, but not be limited to: spinning, bouncing, dissolving, or zooming animations. 3. The Chamber will limit the use of corporate logos and /or names on the sign to sponsors of Chamber events or activities of presenting sponsors. The sign shall not be used as off -site advertising for any corporation. 4. The Chamber will limit messages to Chamber events and activities and programs of community interest. The sign will not include any overt political or religious messages. 5. The Chamber will work with City staff on the location of the sign relative to any future widening of westbound Huntington Drive. The request for a Sign Modification requires a Public Hearing with notice to property owners within 100 feet of the applicant's property. Notice was sent to two affected properties, the Santa Anita Race Track and Arcadia Methodist Hospital. Santa Anita Race Track does have a large LED message board sign. Sign Modification MC 13 -01 March 19, 2013 Page 4 of 4 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) This project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15302 of the CEQA guidelines as the reconstruction of the sign having negligible or no permanent impact of the environment. A Preliminary Exemption Assessment is attached. FISCAL IMPACT The proposed digital display sign will be fully funded by the Chamber of Commerce and will not have a fiscal impact on the City. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council conditionally approve Sign Modification MC 13 -01 to allow a digital display sign at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce located at 388 West Huntington Drive. Approved Dominic Lazza City Manager Attachments: Photo of the Proposed Sign Preliminary Exemption Analysis SHOWN VMH LED DISPLAY 11r.r EXISTING FWAFUNFIEM0 4%..j � 7! MAIN ELEVATION END.VIEW tc I'l D/F ILLUM. ID. DUPLAY REMODEL :: c ' v5A k , AV 7() BE ALUM114W rA8k,CATfU V91H PNT0, REMNS .r I R t'Q'X%' SOP ;0 DISPLAV ANa SUPOlk' 7ULLES I 'k OrA Uk LA6 VowL ev %. b.-V . r ,5 RCAVI vv.ri 1 Y PRELIMINARY EXEMPTION ASSESSMENT (Certificate of Determination When Attached to Notice of Exemption) 1. Name or description of project: Digital Display Sign 2. Project Location — Identify street address and cross streets or attach a map showing project site (preferably a USGS 15' or 7 1/2' topographical map identified by quadrangle name): 388 West Huntington Drive 3. Entity or person undertaking project: A. Arcadia Chamber of Commerce B. Other (Private) (1) Name (2) Address 4. Staff Determination: The Lead Agency's Staff, having undertaken and completed a preliminary review of this project in accordance with the Lead Agency's "Local Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)" has concluded that this project does not require further environmental assessment because: a. ❑ The proposed action does not constitute a project under CEQA. b. ❑ The project is a Ministerial Project. C. ❑ The project is an Emergency Project. d. ❑ The project constitutes a feasibility or planning study. e. x❑ The project is categorically exempt. Applicable Exemption Class: Section 15302 f. ❑ The project is statutorily exempt. Applicable Exemption: g. ❑ The project is otherwise exempt on the following basis: h. ❑ The project involves another public agency which constitutes the Lead Agency. FN7aineoof Lead Agency: Date: Staff: Preliminary Exemption Assessment FORM "A"