CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Concur with the recommended parameters of the Ogden Avenue Pole Sign Replacement Grant Program and pass the resolution authorizing certain relief from Section 6-16-5 (Signs on Commercial and Institutional Property).
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Allison Laff, AICP, Deputy Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Not required.
BACKGROUND:
Under new business at the April 17, 2018 City Council meeting, Councilman Coyne directed staff to develop options that may be used to eliminate non-conforming pole signs along East Ogden Avenue (from Washington Street to the City’s eastern boundary). At their September 4, 2018 meeting, City Council reviewed a series of options prepared by staff pertaining to pole signs; at the conclusion of their discussion, City Council recommended that staff further review the potential options with the Chamber of Commerce and Ogden Avenue property owners. As directed, City and Naperville Development Partnership (NDP) staff attended the Chamber’s Legislative Forum on September 26, 2018 to discuss pole signs, as well as other Ogden Avenue historic and proposed initiatives.
Based on general support for incentives to encourage the voluntary removal of non-conforming pole signs located along Ogden Avenue, City Council approved $30,000 in funding in the 2019 budget to create an Ogden Avenue Pole Sign Replacement Grant Program.
DISCUSSION:
While pole signs have been prohibited along Ogden Avenue since 2008, approximately 49 existing non-conforming pole signs remain along this corridor today. Ogden Avenue property owners who currently have a pole sign on their property were invited to meet with staff from the City and Naperville Development Partnership on April 23 and April 25, 2019 to help determine what aspects of a grant program would be most beneficial to them.
Using feedback gained from the 9 property owner meetings held, City and NDP staff recommend the following grant program parameters:
§ Each property shall be eligible to receive a matching grant of up to $10,000 for costs related to the removal of the existing pole sign, as well as design, construction, and installation of a new monument sign, wall sign, or blade sign.
§ The application and grant award paperwork process shall be significantly simplified from that used in prior years, including streamlined reimbursement procedures for grant awards.
§ Zoning Administrator approval of certain variances to Section 6-16-5 (Signs on Commercial Institutional Properties) needed to facilitate the replacement of non-conforming pole signs with other site signage, as further described below.
Administrative Approval
Many properties along the East Ogden Corridor will not be able to site a monument sign on their property in compliance with all code requirements based on limited existing setbacks between the parking lot and the property line, limited property depth, existing lot widths which may not meet code minimums for a monument sign, and inability to meet the required setback from the interior property lines. Requiring a variance to replace a pole sign with a monument sign can be costly and time-consuming, thereby potentially deterring a property owner from making the request.
Staff requests that City Council grant the Zoning Administrator the authority to administratively approve certain variance requests such as: reducing the lot frontage or setbacks required for a monument sign, permitting a larger sign area for new monument signs, and permitting additional wall signage if space is not available to locate a new monument sign. These requests would only be authorized if the applicant can demonstrate that a hardship exists and if the proposed signage complies with the East Ogden Avenue sign design guidelines and sight distance requirements.
Staff has prepared a resolution similar to a resolution previously approved for signs which were impacted by the Route 59 widening in 2013 for City Council’s consideration. If approved, this resolution would apply to all sign projects submitted along the Corridor through December 31, 2022 that include the voluntary removal of non-conforming pole signs located along east Ogden Avenue (even if they are not participating in the grant program).
FISCAL IMPACT:
$30,000 (Operating Budget)