Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3b: Request from Kare Youth League for Directional Signage o ARC s p Gt . LIFOR ,y, 9 `1 , tak - °n " Y °i � ° STAFF REPORT Office of the City Manager DATE: January 4, 2011 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Don Penman, City Manager SUBJECT: REQUEST FROM KARE YOUTH LEAGUE FOR DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE Recommendation: Approve BACKGROUND The KARE Youth League operates an extensive program of youth serving activities on property at the southern terminus of Farna Avenue south of Live Oak in an unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County. The primary and most direct means to access this facility is off of Live Oak in the City of Arcadia. The KARE League has requested the City's permission to install one or two small signs at or near the intersection of Live Oak and Farna directing people to their facility, which is about 3/4 of a mile south of Live Oak through a residential neighborhood. Due to the unique location of the facility and it remoteness to a major street staff is recommending that the City Council approve the request and direct staff to work with the League on determining the exact location and size of the sign(s). DISCUSSION The KARE Youth League offers recreational /sports activities at their facilities at the southern terminus of Farna Avenue in the incorporated portion of the County south of Live Oak Avenue. Direct access to the facility is through a residential neighborhood about 3 /4 of a mile south of Live Oak. Currently there is no directional signage on where people should turn to reach the facility. The City currently does not have a policy of allowing directional signage to certain facilities. However by specific City Council action the City has allowed certain directional signage to the Arboretum, Santa Anita Racetrack, and Westfield Santa Anita. Additionally there are a few churches in the community that have some directional signage on a main thoroughfare, though these signs appear to have been in place for several decades and staff cannot find any policy or paperwork that addresses these, and no new signs of this nature have been installed in recent years. Mayor and City Council KARE Youth League Signage Page 2 As a general policy staff would not support allowing organizations to have directional signage to their facilities, unless they could meet very strict criteria that essentially involve an organization or group that has a difficult location to access or find and serves a significant population or age group. Also staff would not support a policy or practice that allows commercial for profit companies to have directional signage unless the venue is so unique that the signage serves an important public purpose in providing direction for significant levels of traffic, such as Santa Anita Racetrack. The Arcadia sign ordinance does not allow general purpose commercial off - site signage. If the Council approves the request, staff would recommend that the Council direction includes that staff must approve the location, size, wording and color of the sign, since it would likely be located in the right -of -way. Preliminary indications are that the size would be comparable to the Racetrack signs. It is unknown at this time whether any existing poles are available to accommodate these signs. Additionally it is recommended that all costs related to the manufacturing and installation of the sign(s) be borne by KARE Youth League. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the request to allow the installation of directional signage for KARE Youth League; that staff work with the League to approve the location, size, wording and color of the sign(s), and that all costs related to the manufacturing and installation of the sign(s) be borne by KARE Youth League.