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Item 3.3
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS November 3, 2011
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
SUBJECT: AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN'S TEMPORARY SIGN AND BANNERS
POLICY, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING THE ALLOWABLE NUMBER OF
SIGNS AND/OR BANNERS PER APPLICATION AND LIMITING THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF SIGNS AND/OR BANNERS DISPLAYED AT ANY
ONE LOCATION. FILE # 232-11-MISC.
FROM: Nicole Horvitz, Assistant Planner
APPROVED: Debbie Pedro, AICP, Planning Director—
RECOMMENDATION:
irector
RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission:
Forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the proposed amendments to the Town's
Temporary Signs and Banners Policy as included in Attachment 1.
BACKGROUND
At their' December 13, 2007 meeting, the City Council adopted the Temporary Signs and
Banners Policy which provides guidelines for the size, location, and duration of temporary signs
and banners to be placed within the Town. The purpose of the policy is to establish minimum
standards for the signs in order to promote. traffic safety, prevent visual clutter, and preserve the
rural character and residential quality of the Town.
The policy establishes an application and administrative permit process, facilitated by the
Planning Department. There is no application fee for this review and approval turnaround is
typically within one week.
DISCUSSION
Since the adoption of the Temporary Sign and Banners Policy, it has been observed by Town
staff that there is no limit on the number of signs a single organization is allowed to place
throughout the Town or how many signs can be placed at any one location simultaneously. This
can contribute to visual clutter which can create an aesthetic problem throughout the Town.
Staff is recommending that no more than two signs and/or banners be permitted at any one time
at any one location within the Town. In addition, limiting the location of where the signs and/or
banners can be erected to the most frequent areas such as Westwind Barn and the intersections
of:
• Edith Road & Fremont Road
• Arastradero Road and Fremont Road
• Arastradero Road and Purissima Road
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Temporary Signs and Banners Policy
November 3, 2011
Page 2 of 3
• El Monte Road & Moody Road
• Event location
Therefore'. providing applicants with 'specific locations permissible to place signage will reduce
aesthetic clutter throughout the Town.
Edith Road and Fremont Road Intersection
Arastradero Road and Fremont Road Intersection
In September 2011 -;.-the Town received a request from the Los -Altos Hills Family (LAHF), a
non-profit organization that has received funding from the Town. The organization is requesting:
1. A one-time permit to cover all of their annual events; and
2. Town staff to install LAHF signs for recurring annual events such as. Halloween pumpkin
carving, holiday tree lighting, and Easter egg hunt.
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Temporary Signs and Banners Policy
November 3, 2011
Page 3 of 3
Emails detailing the request from LAHF members dated September 21, 2011 are included in
Attachment 3.
All applicants for temporary sips/banners are required to submit separate applications for
individual events and are responsible for installing and removing their signs or banners. Staff is
recommending that LAHF be subject to the same requirements as other committees and
organizations.
If the Commission wishes to consider LAHF's request, the Temporary Sign Policy should be
amended so that all Town committees and non-profit organizations are subject to the same rules
and requirements.
CEQA STATUS
The proposed Policy amendment is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Section 15311(a) of the CEQA Guidelines.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Amended Temporary Signs and Banners Policy
2. Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Sections 8-6.01 to 8-6.08.
3. Emails from LAHF dated September 21, 2011
Attachment 1
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS LGSODSHILLS
26379 Fremont Road '
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 C
Phone: (650) 941-7222 riLIFQRVI�
www.losaltoshills.ca.gov
Temporary Signs and Banners Policy
Apprpved by City Council — xxx
Code Sections:
Signs and Advertising Structures are regulated by Title 8-_Chapter"6' of the Los Altos Hills
Municipal Code. Section 8-6.03 of the Municipal Codpk- pws. tempora signs or banners for
public events, charitable functions and noncommercial' purposes. Applications, for a temporary
sign or banner permit shall be made in writing to thd"City Manager or designees -and shall include
a site plan, drawing or photograph of the sign, sign dunensions Smaterials and colors. No filing
fee is required. - ~
Intent:
The purpose of this policy is to establish igdU6 es for temporal -`,.signs and banners that are
displayed to inform the public of special events heldrbq the Town=or other non-profit agencies.
The materials, size, design, and location of temporary sips -,,and, - anners are regulated to prevent
visual clutter, traffic safety hazards, and to preserve the rural character and residential quality of
the Town.w
g
Policy:
1.
the
2. Tempoary signs and
to: art arid_ ' Mtural ev
drives or events. of pl.
rt
3. No person shall'erect
Town's Planning ani
except for advertising displays permitted under
Code.
Tzbe allowed only for special events such as, but not limited
ion and sporting events; Town sponsored events; campaigns
educational, religious, or non-profit organizations.
any sign or banner without first obtaining a permit from the
Departments.
4. Signs shall not be illuminated and shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet of surface display
area.
5. No flashing, moving, or animated signs shall be permitted.
6. Temporary signs or banners shall not be placed in pathways, shall not obstruct traffic
intersections, or affect vehicular line of sight.
Temporary Signs and Banners Policy
Page 2
7. Signs or banners shall not be attached to any trees, utility poles, street signs, hydrants, and
similar such objects.
eeasei—a t :e'��,�� :'Sips� bar=neefs-t:^eete
9. No more than two (2) signs or banners shall be posted at any one time within any one
location within the Town.
10. Temporary sims:or banners shall be located at the followLngloca€ions only:
• Edith Road & Fremont Road =-
• Arastradero Road and Fremont Road
• Arastradero Road and Purissima Road = =-
• El vIonte Road &Moody Road = = -
• Westwind Barn-
• Event location
11. No sign or banner shall be posted longer than 30 4zcQ-- secutive days from the date of
installation, and no more than two (?}des within a twel12) month time frame for the
same organization. One fifteen (15) dav;_eeiison maybe grautetijby the Planning.Director if
the event or activity will exceed 30 days:, - ==
12. If a sign or banner.,is=`Ieft-`ir%place for longer..then the permitted amount of time; the Town
shall remove the sfb.
13. Any temporary sign remdved,t}y_tte_`lc
within 15.�ca1°eiidar-days afrer the date=o
considered abandoned if it is not retrieved
✓al and will be disposed of by the Town.
Chapter 6 SIGNS AND ADVERTISING STRUCTURES
Attachment 2
Los Altos Hills Municipal Code
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Title 8 BUILDING REGULATIONS
Chapter 6 SIGNS AND ADVERTISING STRUCTURES
8-6.01 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used
in this chapter are defined as follows:
Advertising display means and include signs and advertising structures, and combinations thereof, as such
terms are defined in this section.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, advertising structure means a structure of any kind or
character, erected or maintained for outdoor advertising purposes, upon which any sign, poster, bill, printing,
painting, or other advertisement of any kind whatsoever may be placed, including statuary.
Freeway means a highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right or easement of
access, or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right or easement of access, and which
freeway is declared to be such in compliance with the provisions of the Streets and Highways Code of the State.
Landscaped freeway means a section or sections of a freeway which is or hereafter may be either
designated as a landscaped freeway by the Division of Highways of the State or improved by the planting, on at
least one side of the freeway right-of-way, of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, or other ornamental vegetation which
shall require reasonable maintenance.
To place and any of its variants, as applied to advertising displays, means and includes the maintaining and
erecting, constructing, posting, painting, printing, tacking, nailing, gluing, stitching, carving, or otherwise
fastening, affixing, or making visible any advertising display on or to the ground or to any tree, bush, rock,
fence, post, wall, building, structure, or thing.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, sign means any card, cloth, metal, painted, or wooden sign of
any character, billboard, poster, pennant, flag, or sample placed for advertising purposes on the ground or on any
tree, wall, bush, rock, fence, building, structure, or thing, either publicly or privately owned, other than an
advertising structure.
Advertising structure and sign, as defined in this section, shall not include the following:
(1) Official notices issued by any court or public body or officer,
(2) Notices posted by any public officer in the performance of a public duty or by any person in giving
any legal notice;
(3) Directional, warning, or information signs or structures required or authorized by law or by any
competent governmental authority; and
(4) Any display, for other than advertising purposes, of the flag of the United States or of the State. (§ I,
Ord. 42)
8-6.02 Prohibited.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 8-6.03 of this chapter, no advertising display shall be placed or
maintained on property within the Town. (§ II, Ord. 42)
8-6.03 Prohibited—Exceptions.
Chapter 6 SIGNS AND ADVERTISING STRUCTURES
Page 2 of 3
(a) There shall be excepted from the provisions of Section 8-6.02 of this chapter advertising displays used
exclusively for any of the following purposes, or any combination thereof:
(1) .To advertise the sale or lease of the property upon which such advertising display is placed;
(2) To designate the name of the owner or occupant of the premises upon which such advertising display
is placed or to identify such premises; and
(3) To advertise services rendered or goods manufactured, produced, or grown on the property upon
which such advertising display is placed.
(b) -There shall also be excepted from the provisions of Section 8-6.02 of this chapter directional
advertising displays indicating the location of improved or unimproved parcels of land for sale that are having an
"open house." These displays must be temporary in that they are not fixed in the ground or on any plant or
structure. They may be put up no earlier than one hour before the beginning of the "open house" and taken down
no later than one hour after the "open house" is concluded; provided that, in no event, may any sign be left up
overnight.
(c) There shall also be excepted from the provisions of Section 8-6.02 of this chapter temporary signs or
banners for public events, charitable functions and noncommercial purposes. Applications for a temporary sign
or banner permit shall be made in writing to the City Manager or designee and shall include a site plan, drawing
or photograph of the sign, sign dimensions, materials and colors. No filing fee shall be required. (§ III and IV,
Ord. 42; § .18, Ord. 328, eff. October 6, 1989; § 1, Ord. 360, eff. January 1, 1994; § 1, Ord. 509, eff. January 13,
2007)
8-6.04 Excepted advertisingdelays—Conformance with applicable laws—Area.
Every advertising display placed or maintained pursuant to the provisions of Section 8-6.03 of this chapter
shall conform to all the applicable building regulations and shall not have a total area of more than six (6) square
feet. (§ VA, Ord. 42, as amended by § I, Ord. 95; § 1, Ord. 303, eff. June 20, 1986)
8-6.05 Excepted signs—Placement and maintenance—Permission required.
No card, cloth, metal, painted, or wooden sign of any character, billboard, poster, pennant, flag, or sample
bearing letters, writing, figures, or characters of any nature, conveying a message or idea, which display is not
otherwise permitted by the provisions of this chapter, shall be placed or maintained at any place within the Town
without permission therefor having previously been granted by the Council upon such terms and conditions as
the Council deems necessary. (§ V B, Ord. 42, as amended by § I, Ord. 95)
8-6.06 Unlawful displays—Removal—Costs—Liability. _
The Building Inspector and his or her agents are hereby empowered to remove or destroy any advertising
display which is in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. The person placing such advertising display
shall be liable, in addition to any criminal penalties, for the costs of such removal or destruction. The Building
Inspector and his or her agents may enter upon private property without incurring any liability therefor for the
purposes of removing or destroying any advertising display placed in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
(§ VII, Ord. 42)
8-6.07 Posting election signs.
An election sign may be erected without a permit in conformity with this section.
Chapter 6 SIGNS AND ADVERTISING STRUCTURES
Page 3 of 3
(a) Public Property. No election sign shall be erected:
(1) Within five (5) feet of the paved or otherwise improved portion of any public street, pathway or any
other public way.
(2) On any other public property in any residential zone, including, but not limited to any public parking
lot, fence, post, tree, utility guy line or any other public place.
(3) On any fire hydrant.
(4) On any City sign, including, but not limited to, traffic signs.
(5) On any utility pole.
(6) On any City equipment. street light pole, traffic signal pole or traffic signal controller.
(7) On any City building, tree or shrub.
(8) Within five (5) feet of the paved or otherwise improved portion of any other public way, or any place
where a sign would obstruct a motorist's line of sight.
(b) Private Property. An election sign may be erected on private property only if the owner or all the
occupants consent to having the election sign erected.
(c) Sign Restrictions. An election sign may be erected only in accordance with the following restrictions:
(1) Illumination. No election sign may be illuminated in any manner.
(2) Wall Sign. A wall sign shall not have a total area of more than six (6) square feet.
(3) Freestanding or Suspended Signs. A freestanding or suspended sign shall not have an area exceeding
six (6) square feet and shall not be more than three (3) feet in height.
(d) Duration and Removal. An election sign shall be completely removed no later than six (6) days
following the date of the election. Each election sign shall be removed by the person who erected it or by the
owner of the property upon which the sign is erected. (§ 1, Ord. 301, eff. June 6, 1986)
8-6.08 Violation and enforcement.
(a) Any person violating any of the provisions of Section 8-6.07 is guilty of an infraction. Any person
convicted of an infraction under the provisions of Section 8-6.07 shall be punishable for a first conviction by a
fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00), for a second conviction within a period of one year by a fine of not
more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), and for a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one
year by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).
(b) In addition, election signs erected in violation of any provision of Section 8-6.07 may be removed and
disposed of by the Building Official or his or her designee. (§ 2, Ord. 301, eff. June 6, 1986)
Attachment 3
Debbie Pedro
Subject: FW: Los Altos Hills Families and LAH sign ordinance
From: Craig Jones [mailto:cjones0ticcap.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 20111:20 PM
To: Mark Breier; Jennifer Carlstrom; findrichlarsenC&gmail.com; jeanmordoCa amail.com;
iradford2011Cabyahoo.com; gcwaldeckCalgmail.com; Craig Jones
Subject: Re: Los Altos Hills Families and LAH sign ordinance
Here here!! Common sense.
Craig A. T. Jones
Ticonderoga Capital
228 Hamilton Ave, 3rd Floor
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone 650 234 9593
Cell 650 384 5811
From: Mark Breier <mark@breiers.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 201113:18:56 -0700
To: Jennifer Carlstrom <iennifer@carlstrom.com>, "find rich la rsen@gmail.com"
<findrich larsen@gmail.com>, "ieanmordo@gmail.com" <leanmordo@gmail.com>,
"iradford2011@yahoo.com" <iradford2011@yahoo.com>, "gcwaldeck@gmail.com"
<Rcwaldeck@gmail.com>, Craig Jones <ciones@ticcaD.com>
Subject: Re: Los Altos Hills Families and LAH sign ordinance
I recommend that the town (and/or parks and rec) put these signs up for recurring, prior -scheduled
events, such as Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Holiday Tree Lighting, and Easter Egg Hunting.
These events are no different than the well -signed, town -executed, LAHF-partnered 4th of July
Parade and Town Picnic.
LAHF would then only apply for sign permits and put up our own signs for new, experimental events
(such as the upcoming Teen Halloween event) which is not yet on annual schedule. .
Thanks.
On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 1:07 PM, Jennifer Carlstrom <iennifer@carlstrom.com> wrote:
Dear Town Council,
I am writing to you on behalf of Los Altos Hills Families in regards to the LAH sign ordinance and
process.
This is the third year that I am about to place signs throughout town advertising the Halloween
Pumpkin Carving Event for Los Altos Hills Families. Typically we have placed signs for our three major
events, Halloween in October, Holiday Tree Lighting in December and the Easter Egg Hunt in
March/April.
I am curious if there is a way to create a standing sign placement request or to simplify this process,
since technically (in my mind at least) the signs we are posting are property of the town, as they are
purchased with town money for town funded events that we are planning.
The application process and then the numerous requests to adjust signs/banners once placed for
each and every event has become taxing on the LAH Family volunteers (really just 4 individuals) who
are planning and organizing these events, which in surrounding towns are completely ran/organized
by the town Parks and Rec staff/committees.
I appreciate your consideration,
Jennifer Carlstrom