If the Planning Commission concurs, staff is recommending the approval of ordinance amendments to Planned Development No. 679 to allow illuminated building signage on the side of buildings facing an adjacent public street that abuts residentially zoned property or directly abuts residentially zoned property, subject to the following conditions:

• The illuminated signs shall be white channel lettering on a raceway only.
• The illuminated signs shall not exceed 125 nits in intensity as measured at the sign face.
• The illuminated signs shall remain unlit from the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
• A light distribution plan shall be submitted to ensure compliance with applicable city ordinances.
  
  

For your consideration is a request to amend Planned Development Ordinance No. 679 to allow for illuminated building signage on building elevations that is adjacent or abuts residentially zoned property in zone 3 of the planned development only.  This would allow the Foliage Medical Building located at 15160 Foliage Avenue to put illuminated signage on the south and west building elevations.  The site abuts AutoZone and Discount Tire to the north, Home Depot to the east, Orchard Point townhomes  to the south, and is adjacent to the Gabella Apartments and Abra Auto Body and Glass Repair to the west.

The City's sign code currently allows for signage on the side of building that abuts business or industrially zoned property or a public street, except where the side of the building faces an adjacent public street that abuts residentially zoned property.  Currently, the Foliage Medical Building in the before-mentioned planned development is the only one affected by this sign code regulation.  In fact, a portion of the west elevation located north of Gabella Street would be allowed illuminated signage.

Home Depot is the only other property that abuts residentially zoned property, but it is located in zone 2 of the planned development.  Therefore, that property would not be a beneficiary of the

proposed ordinance amendments.

The applicant originally proposed the following conditions to be applied to the amendment:

1. All signs facing west or south must be white.
2. All illuminated signs facing west or south must not exceed 125 nits in intensity.
3. All illuminated signs facing west or south must be turned off during the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

At the January 17, meeting the applicant stated that the signs would be individually lit letters and he agreed to increase in time that the illuminated signs would be turned off.  The applicant's comments are reflected in the proposed ordinance amendments.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing concerning this request on January 17, 2018.  No one spoke on the night of the hearing and the hearing was closed.  Staff did receive an e-mail from a resident in the Orchard Point development who was opposed to the request because of the additional lighting and its impact to the existing condition on the property. If the request is approved, the City should guarantee that the illuminated signage will not have a negative impact to his property.  Staff has added a condition that a light distribution plan shall be submitted to ensure the site lighting, with the addition of the illuminated signs, will meet the applicable lighting requirements set forth in the city code.   

A  nit is a unit of visible-light intensity, commonly used to specify the brightness of a  liquid crystal display or light-emitting diodes. One nit is equivalent to one candela per square meter.   A candela was formally called candlepower.   Therefore, 125 nits would equate 125 foot-candles. 

The Foliage Medical Building is approximately 300 feet from the Gabella apartments to the west and 400 feet from the nearest Orchard Point townhome.  The property where the office building is located approximately 14 feet higher than Foliage Avenue.  The Commission asked the applicant to provide information on the impact of sign glare on the adjacent and abutting residential properties based upon the distance and height of those signs. 

The applicant has submitted a drawing, which shows the light intensity at different intervals.  It indicates that the intensity lowers significantly as you move away from the building.  Therefore, it does not appear that there will be a significant impact to adjacent properties.  

One of the conditions in the proposed amendments is the submission of a light distribution plan, which will measure the light intensity on the property.  This will be used to ensure that the signage will meet the minimum light requirements set forth in the city code.