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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 2 - 100 W. Duarte RoadMC 16-04 & SADR 16-19 August 23, 2016 Page 1 of 6 DATE: August 23, 2016 TO: Honorable Chairman and Modification Committee FROM: Lisa Flores, Planning Services Manager By: Jordan Chamberlin, Assistant Planner SUBJECT: MODIFICATION NO. MC 16-04 AND SIGN DESIGN REVIEW NO. SADR 16-19 WITH A CLASS 3 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) TO REPLACE THE EXISTING MONUMENT SIGN WITH A NEW DOUBLE-SIDED MONUMENT SIGN WITH LED MESSAGE BOARDS AND TWO ILLUMINATED DIRECTIONAL SIGNS ON AN INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY ZONED SINGLE-FAMILY (R-1) RESIDENTIAL AT 100 W. DUARTE ROAD Recommendation: Conditional Approval BACKGROUND The subject property is a 2.79 acre interior lot, zoned R-1 (Single-Family Residential). It is developed with a church, built in 1967, which is currently occupied by the Arcadia Chinese Baptist Church – see the attached aerial photo, photos of the subject property and neighboring properties. It is common throughout the City for churches to be located on a residentially zoned property as they were permitted with a Conditional Use Permit or Variance. Arcadia High School is located to the north of the subject property and is zoned S-2 (Public Purpose). There are many institutional uses along this street with the Masonic Temple, Church of the Christ, and the City’s Library to the east and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the west of the subject site. Currently, the subject site has one, non- illuminated, 5’-0” high by 12’-5” wide double sided monument sign (refer to the image to the right). The sign was approved in 1975 through a modification to allow the sign to be within the 80’-0” special setback along this portion of W. Duarte Road. Photo of existing sign MC 16-04 & SADR 16-19 August 23, 2016 Page 2 of 6 The R-1 zoning regulations do not address signs for non-residential uses. In the absence of any sign requirements for churches, the City’s commercial sign regulations are used as a guideline for review, and consideration of such proposals is handled through the Modification process. This was the same process that was followed when the Arcadia Masonic Center, Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, and the Church of the Good Shepherd received approval for signs with LED message boards. There is a special setback of 80’-0” along this portion of Duarte Road. An encroachment into the special setback is typically handled administratively, but is included here because the project is subject to the Modification Committee’s review. ANALYSIS The proposal is to remove the existing monument sign and replace it with a double- sided monument sign that is 6’-7” in height by 11’-0” in width, with an LED message board encased in the sign and add two new double sided, 3’-0” high by 5’-4” wide illuminated directional signs adjacent to each driveway. All of the proposed signs are to be located within the 80’-0” special setback along this portion of Duarte Road. There is an LED message board on each side of the monument sign that will be 2’-5” in height by 7’-8” in width. The proposed sign has a total sign area of 144 square feet, 20 square feet more than the existing sign, where a maximum 250 square feet is allowed. The monument sign would be comprised of beige colored stucco to match the existing church building – see the proposed plans (Attachment No. 2). The LED message board is framed within a white opaque cabinet raised 4-inch from the face of the sign to add dimension. The text and graphics will be brown, internally-illuminated and raised an additional half inch. Landscaping will be planted around the base of the sign. The illuminated directional signs are the same style as the monument sign. The design of the signs, as well as the colors and materials, are consistent with the existing Church building. The LED message board will only display text that is in full color; the use of graphics or background images is not proposed. The messages will change every three to five minutes. The LED message boards would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rendering of the monument sign proposed sign and directional sign MC 16-04 & SADR 16-19 August 23, 2016 Page 3 of 6 This will have the same time frame as the LED sign that was approved next door at the Masonic Temple. The only difference is the message on the Masonic Temple sign could not change more than once a day. The brightness of the LED message board can be manually adjusted based on the time of day to reduce glare. Staff also recommends limiting the LED message board to only use simple transitions such as fading out/in or sliding in from a single direction to minimize the potential distraction for drivers. The new sign will be in the same location as the existing sign along Duarte Road, but just slightly taller. The monument sign is located 6’-0” from the property line in the center of the lot more than 75’-0” from the two driveways. The two illuminated directional signs are 2’-0” away from the property line and located adjacent to each of the driveways. There is a special setback of 80’-0” measured from the centerline of the street along this portion of Duarte Road which results in a 38’-0” front yard setback requirement. The proposed monument sign will encroach 32’-0” and the directional signs will encroach 36’-0” into the special setback. The intent of the special setback is for future street widening and to promote a consistent streetscape. The City Engineer has reviewed the proposal and has no objections to the requested encroachment into the special setback as there are no plans to widen this portion of Duarte Road. The City Engineer also reviewed the proposal in regards to potential impacts to traffic and visibility and raised concerns with the directional signs (refer to the image to the right), particularly the one located next to the easterly driveway. This sign is proposed on the left side of the driveway in a critical visibility area due to Duarte Road having a slight decline as it heads west, the angle of the street with the driveway being greater than 90 degrees, and some existing shrubs and a tree that partially obstruct visibility. For safety reasons, it is recommended as a condition of approval that the location of the two directional signs be relocated to be further back from the front property line and/or further away from the driveways. The location shall be determined by the City Engineer prior to the issuance of a building permit. With the recommended conditions of approval, the signs will be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and consistent with the City’s Architectural Design Guidelines for Commercial and Industrial Signing. Site plan showing the locations of the existing and proposed signs MC 16-04 & SADR 16-19 August 23, 2016 Page 4 of 6 FINDINGS Section 9292.1.4 of the Arcadia Municipal Code states that the purpose of the Modification procedures is for the following: 1. Secure an appropriate improvement of a lot; 2. Prevent an unreasonable hardship; or 3. Promote uniformity of development It is increasingly common for institutional uses, such as churches, to have illuminated signs with LED message boards. Given that there are only institutional uses adjacent to the proposed signs and that the LED message boards will operate in a manner similar to the LED message boards approved on a neighboring property to the east, the proposed signs will have minimal impact to the adjacent uses and streetscape. The added condition that the directional signs be relocated subject to the City Engineer, or designee’s, review and approval ensures that location of signs is suitable and will secure an appropriate improvement of the lot. With the approval of the modifications for the monument sign with LED message boards and illuminated directional signs, the proposed sign meets all other zoning requirements. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed project qualifies as a Class 3 Categorical Exemption for an on premise sign per the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15311(a) of the CEQA Guidelines. PUBLIC COMMENTS Public hearing notices were mailed on August 11, 2016, to the property owners within 100 feet of the subject site. As of August 18, 2016, staff has not received any public comments for this project. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Modification Committee conditionally approve Modification Application No. MC 16-04 and Sign Architectural Design Review No. SADR 16-19 and find that the project is exempt per CEQA Sections 15311(a), subject to the following conditions of approval: 1. One, double-sided monument signs with LED message boards shall be permitted perpendicular to W. Duarte Road. The maximum size of the signs shall not exceed 6’-7” in height by 11’-0” in width. 2. The digital displays on the LED message boards cannot change more frequently than every three (3) minutes and may operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MC 16-04 & SADR 16-19 August 23, 2016 Page 5 of 6 3. No videos, flashing or blinking, or moving images shall be permitted within a given message. Simple transitions between messages are acceptable. Examples of acceptable transitions would include, but not be limited to, fading out/in or sliding in from a single direction. Examples of prohibited animations would include, but not be limited to, spinning, bouncing, dissolving, or zooming animations. 4. The location of the two (2) directional signs shall be determined by the City Engineer prior to the issuance of a Building Permit. 5. The signs shall be operated and maintained in a manner that is consistent with the proposal and plans submitted and approved for MC 16-04 and SADR 16-19 by the Modification Committee, and shall be subject to periodic inspections, after which the provisions of this approval may be adjusted after due notice to address any adverse impacts to the adjacent streets, rights-of-way, and/or the neighboring uses and properties. 6. The applicant shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Arcadia and its officials, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claim, action, or proceeding against the City of Arcadia, its officials, officers, employees or agents to attack, set aside, void, or annul any approval or conditional approval of the City of Arcadia concerning this project and/or land use decision, including but not limited to any approval or conditional approval of the City Council, Planning Commission, Modification Committee, or City Staff, which action is brought within the time period provided for in Government Code Section 66499.37 or other provision of law applicable to this project or decision. The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding concerning the project and/or land use decision and the City shall cooperate fully in the defense of the matter. The City reserves the right, at its own option, to choose its own attorney to represent the City, its officials, officers, employees, and agents in the defense of the matter. 7. Approval of MC 16-04 and SADR 16-19 shall not be of effect unless on or before 30 calendar days after approval of this project, the property owner/applicant has executed and filed with the Community Development Administrator or designee an Acceptance Form available from the Development Services Department to indicate awareness and acceptance of these conditions of approval.