HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1997 0820 CC REG ITEM 09CAGENDA REPORT
City of Moorpark
ITEM
CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNL4
City Council Meeting
of I9 9Z
To: The Honorable City Council
From: Nelson Miller, Director of Community Developm 6nY1-f-('-
Prepared by Craig Malin, Assistant Planner ()*1
Date: August 6, 1997 (CC meeting August 20, 1997)
Subject: Consider Commercial Planned Development Permit 96 -2
Minor Modification No. 2 for approval of a sign program
for Blockbuster Video and Starbucks Coffee (San Pedro
Signs), located at the northeast corner of Los Angeles
Avenue and Spring Road
Summary
This permit is a request for approval of a Sign Program for the
commercial building under construction at 555 New Los Angeles
Avenue. Although elements of this proposal exceed the sign code
requirements Section of the Zoning Code, Staff is recommending
conditional approval of the application, as it is generally
consistent with sign programs allowed for centers adjacent to Los
Angeles Avenue.
Commercial Planned Development Permit No. 96 -2 was approved by the
City Council on December 18, 1996, for the construction of a 7,258
sq.ft. commercial building. Condition No. 48 of Resolution No 96-
1258 (which approved construction of the center) required the
filing of a comprehensive sign program for the center prior to the
commencement of construction.
On May 22, 1997, San Pedro Signs applied for Minor Modification No.
1 for approval of a sign program, blue plastic awnings and neon
trim on the building which was denied by the Council on July 16,
1997.
000203
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 2
Minor Modification No. 2 was filed on August 1, 1997 for approval
of a modified sign program with a sign area substantially reduced
compared to Minor Modification No. 1. The current proposal is for
three wall signs and three logo signs, a monument sign to be
located on Los Angeles Avenue, blue plastic awnings and neon
building trim.
Site CPD
(Commercial
Planned
Development)
North RPD 15u
(Residential
Planned
Development
General Plan
C -2 (General
Commercial)
VH (Very High
Residential
15 units per acre
South CPD C -2
East RPD 15u VH
West CPD C -2
Current Use
Commercial
Building
Under
Construction
Condominiums
Los Angeles Avenue
Moorpark Plaza
Apartments
Mc Donalds
Section 17.40.050 C of the Municipal Code states that sign programs
shall supersede the Zoning Ordinance. Because elements of the
proposed sign program exceed the code limits and Section 17.40.060
prohibits the Director of Community Development from approving any
sign or sign program which exceeds requirements in the zoning code,
the applicant was informed that action on this sign program would
be deferred to the City Council.
PD96- 2 #2.SR
00OZ04
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 3
This sign program exceeds the allowed sign area contained in the
sign code in the following areas:
Monument Signs, Section 17 40 040 B page 362• The Municipal
Code allows only one monument sign, with a maximum of 30
square feet per side, and a height of four feet. Although the
area of the sign face meets the code, the three foot
decorative brick on each side of the sign brings the length to
161. Even though signs have been approved where the size of
the sign and supports exceeds 30 sq.ft., the sign should meet
the design of all adjacent buildings and signs. The proposed
brickwork on this sign matches the building, but does not
complement the adjacent Mc Donalds monument sign which has a
height of 51, length of 91611, stucco pilasters and a
decorative brick cap. Staff recommends approval of a monument
sign with a design and size that matches the Mc Donalds
monument sign. This would be similar to the alternate plan
previously presented by the applicant (see exhibit 6).
Building Signs. Section 17 40 040 D page 363• The code limits
wall signs for minor tenants (less than 10,000 sq.ft) to a
maximum sign area of 20 sq.ft. and a length not exceeding 75%
of the storefront area. Starbucks Coffee proposes a 28.5
sq.ft. sign and a 20.25 sq.ft. logo facing New Los Angeles
Ave. (south elevation) for a total of 48.75 sq.ft. There is no
provision in the code for off -site signs (the Starbucks logo
on the southern elevation) . Staff recommends elimination of
this sign, as it does not comply with the ordinance.
Blockbuster proposes two signs: 30.66 sq.ft. on the west side
of the building and 17.25 sq.ft. (on the south side) facing
New Los Angeles Avenue. The code (17.40.040 D5) limits the
size of a sign on a second building face to no larger than 500
of the size of the main sign, however, the proposed second
sign (facing New Los Angeles Avenue) is 56% the size of the
main sign. There are also two illuminated Blockbuster logos
proposed, 15 sq.ft. on the west elevation and 8 sq.ft. on the
south elevation.
PD96- 2 #2.SR
400020*
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 4
Other than the letter size and eliminating the Starbucks logo
not located on a business frontage of Starbucks, the proposed
building signs generally comply with the standards of the Sign
Code, except for the limitation on a maximum sign area of
twenty (20) square feet. As indicated in the comparison of
existing Sign Program standards below, centers on Los Angeles
Avenue have been allowed more than the 20 sq.ft. Considering
this and the building design with the width and height of the
building fascia, the proposed signs, as conditioned, are not
out of scale with the building design and business frontage.
The City has previously allowed logos of greater height than
18" in other centers and the overall size of the signs,
including the logos, is still not out of scale with the
building.
Maximum Letter Size: Minor tenants are limited to 18" high
letters (Section 17.40.040 D7). Starbucks Coffee and the
southern Blockbuster sign meets this standard but the west
facing Blockbuster sign has 24" letters. Staff recommends that
all signs have a maximum height of 18 ".
ExistincTSign Program Standards: for comparison, the following
table summarizes the allowed sign area for minor tenants in
the City's major commercial centers:
PD96- 2 #2.SR
W10209
Sign
Sign
Letter
Second Sign
Area
Length
Height
Size
Sign Code
20 sq.ft.
75%
18"
50%
This application
30.6
75%
24"
56%
Gateway Plaza
*
7501
18"
100%
Mission Bell Plaza
+
70%
18- 24 11(1)
100%
Mountain Meadows
20
75%
18"
5016
Moorpark Plaza
none
7501
18"
10006
Town Center
+
7501
18"
100%
Varsity Park Plaza
20
7006
18"
none
PD96- 2 #2.SR
W10209
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 5
* This center allows an area of 1.5 sq.ft. for each
foot of leasehold width.
+ This center allows an area of 1 sq.ft. for each
foot of leasehold width.
(1) Although minor tenants are limited to 18" letters,
a number of exceptions were approved for national
chain tenants to allow 24" letters.
Awnings /Neon trim: The approved building elevations do not
include the illuminated awnings or the neon trim. The proposed
illuminated plastic awnings do not complement the design of
the building. Staff recommends approval of non - illuminated
fabric or canvas awnings with no lettering. No provision in
the code permits neon illuminated trim on the exterior of the
building.
Tenants Signage: Included on pages five and six of Exhibit 2
are provisions for tenant Signage (other than Blockbuster or
Starbucks) . Each tenant will be limited to 1 sq.ft of sign
area for each foot of leasehold width not to exceed 75a the
width of the store. This meets the current code requirements
with the exception that a minor tenant sign could exceed 20
sq.ft. Six colors and five lettering styles are proposed. This
number is consistent with the choices for a large retail
center and not a 7,258 sq.ft. building. Staff recommends that
four colors and three type styles be permitted.
The provisions for tenant Signage on pages five and six of
Exhibit 2 are not as comprehensive concerning ordinance
compliance as the City would desire, and is exemplified in
other sign programs. A minimal amount of information necessary
for regulation of future Signage is included though. The
applicant has indicated that rather than prepare a
comprehensive sign program for a building with only two
tenants, they would prefer to have each tenant receive City
approval their Signage. This could be accomplished through
approval of a Minor Modification or Permit Adjustment.
PD96- 2 #2.SR
00020`
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 6
Art in Public Places: A question has been raised concerning
the provision of art in public places by the Planning
Commission. The Planning Commission in their review of the
proposed commercial project had requested artwork to be
incorporated into the commercial project. The applicant had
proposed a tile mural on the south elevation. However, after
review of the costs, the small scale of the project, the
location , and design, the applicant took the option provided
in Condition 43 of paying an art in public places fee of $.10
per square foot. This fee of $ 725.80 was received by the City
on May 7, 1997. Due to the size of the project, this was a
very small allowance for an art project and could probably be
better consolidated with other fees collected to generate an
appropriate art project.
Environmental Determination
This project is Categorically Exempt from CEQA requirements as a
Class 1 exemption, for the operation or alteration of private
structures.
Conclusion
As indicated in the report, this request is similar to the sign
program provisions for centers on Los Angeles Avenue and is not out
of scale for the building design, but is for greater sign area than
permitted by the code. This request could be permitted under
Section 17.40.050 C (master sign programs) of the code.
This proposal has been reviewed by the Director of Community
Development, and since it exceeds the Sign Code is being deferred
for action to the City Council with the recommendation indicated.
Staff recommends adoption of a Resolution conditionally approving
Minor Modification No. 2 to Commercial Planned Development Permit
96 -2, for approval of a sign program.
PD96 -2 #1
UD Z
CPD 96 -2 Minor Mod. No.2
San Pedro Signs
Page 7
Exhibits: 1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
PD96 -2 #1
Resolution No. 97-
Proposed Signage
Sign code
Zoning Map
General Plan Map
Alternate monument sign
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