9655.6. - General sign standards for permanent signs.

A.

Sign integration requirement. All permanent signs shall be designed as an integral part of the total building design.

B.

Number of colors. All permanent signs, except as hereinafter provided, shall contain no more than three (3) different colors. Different shades shall be considered separate colors. The planning commission may consider a sign program with a multi-color sign palette utilizing a maximum of five (5) colors. For the purposes of this section, black and white shall be considered colors. Logos with registered trademarked colors are exempt from this provision.

C.

Types of material. The types of materials for sign structures shall, if possible and practicable, be compatible with materials used in the related buildings.

D.

Illumination of signs.

1.

Director review. Unless otherwise prohibited by this part, signs may be illuminated subject to the review and approval of the director to ensure that such illumination does not create any public safety hazards. The approval of any illuminated sign shall not be final until thirty (30) days after installation during which period the director may order the dimming of any illumination found to be excessively bright. Illumination shall be considered excessively bright when it prevents the perception of objects or buildings beyond or in the vicinity of the sign. In no case shall an illuminated sign or lighting device be placed or directed as to permit the beams and/or illumination therefrom to be directed or beamed upon a public street, walkway, or adjacent properties so as to cause glare or reflection that may constitute a traffic or safety hazard.

Standards for illumination of signs. Sign lighting shall be subject to the standards below:

a.

Externally illuminated signs.

i.

Externally mounted light fixtures shall be fully shielded to eliminate unnecessary backlight, uplight, or glare (BUG) and have an uplight (U) BUG Rating of U=0.

ii.

Externally illuminated light fixtures shall not exceed a color temperature of 3000 Kelvin (K)

iii.

Externally illuminated light fixtures shall be restricted to white bulbs only.

b.

Internally illuminated signs.

i.

Signs can be halo or concealed internally illuminated. Internal illumination can be used only when it is limited to lighting the sign letters and any state and/or federal registered trademark.

ii.

Lighting used for internally illuminated signs shall be restricted to white bulbs only.

iii.

Halo-illuminated signs shall not exceed a color temperature of 3000 Kelvin (K).

iv.

Internally illuminated signs shall not exceed a color temperature of 4000 Kelvin (K).

c.

Sign brightness.

i.

The maximum luminance value for any portion of a sign shall be 700 cd/m[2 ] . This includes any point within a sign face no matter the color and is inclusive of glare points on externally illuminated signs.

ii.

Average Brightness. The maximum average luminance within a sign face shall be 300 cd/m[2 ] . The average luminance within a sign face shall be calculated by adding together the luminance value of each unique illuminated sign feature or color, and then dividing the total luminance value by the total number of unique illuminated sign features or colors. (e.g., if a sign's lettering is entirely red with a luminance value of 200 cd/m[2 ] , while the sign's logo is entirely green with a luminance value of 300 cd/m[2 ] , the average luminance of the sign would be 250 cd/m[2 ] ).

iii.

For the purpose of compliance with this section, luminance values shall be measured fifty (50) feet from the face of a sign.

d.

Automatic dimmer control. All sign lighting must be equipped with:

i.

An automatic dimmer control to produce the illumination change required by subsection (c) of this section; and

ii.

A means to immediately turn off the display or lighting if the illuminated sign malfunctions.

E.

Screening. To minimize the visual mass and projection of the sign, all electrical transformer boxes and raceways shall be concealed from public view. If a raceway cannot be mounted internally behind the finished exterior wall, the exposed metal surfaces of the raceway shall be finished to match the background wall, or integrated into the overall design of the sign. All exposed conduit shall also be concealed from public view.

(Ord. No. 19-444, § 3, 10-23-2019; Ord. No. 23-472, § 8, 5-22-2024)

9655.7. - Standards for specific types of permanent signs.

The following standards are in addition to the standards set forth in section 9655.6 above.

A.

Wall signs.

1.

Location. The sign shall not be placed to obstruct any portion of a window, doorway, transom, or other architectural detail.

Maximum area and height. The maximum area and height shall be as defined in section 9655.8, permanent sign entitlement by land use. In no case shall the sign project above the edge of the roof of a structure.

3.

Projection from wall. The sign shall not project from the surface upon which it is attached more than required for construction purposes and in no case more than twelve (12) inches.

B.

Monument signs.

1.

Location. The sign shall be located a minimum of five (5) feet from any property line abutting a public or private street and shall comply with city standards for vehicular sight distance at the driveway intersection with the frontage street as determined by the city traffic engineer.

2.

Maximum area. The sign shall be a maximum of forty-eight (48) square feet in area. Only one (1) side of a double-faced (back to back) sign shall be included when calculating sign area. Sign area calculations shall not include architectural treatments or support structures.

3.

Maximum height. The maximum height of a monument sign shall be six (6) feet. Architectural treatments or support structures shall be included in the height measurement. The maximum allowable sign height shall be measured as the vertical distance from grade adjacent to the base of the sign footing, to the top of the sign, including the support structure and any design elements. In no case shall an artificial grade be established for the sole purpose of elevating the grade adjacent to the base of the sign footing for purposes of sign measurement.

4.

Materials and lighting. The use of plastic material as a background is not permitted. The sign background material shall be opaque, which means that any interior light source shall not penetrate the material and illuminate the background but shall be limited to illuminating the sign letters.

5.

Landscape requirements. Landscaping shall be provided at the base of the supporting structure equal to twice the area of one (1) face of the sign. The director may reduce or waive this requirement on sites with existing landscaped setbacks pursuant to division 6 (section 9676 through 9676.7) and section 9655.12.C.

C.

Awning and canopy signs. Signs on awnings and canopy signs may be allowed only as an integral part of the awning or canopy to which they are attached or applied, as follows.

1.

Location. Signs may be placed only on awnings that are located on first story building frontages, including those fronting a parking lot or pedestrian way.

2.

Maximum area. The sign area devoted to awning and canopy signs shall be included in calculation of the maximum allowable wall sign area pursuant to section 9655.8 B.1.

3.

Overhead clearance. No structural element of an awning or canopy shall be located lower than eight (8) feet above finished grade.

4.

Sign text or logo area shall not occupy more than thirty (30) percent of the awning panel.

5.

Lighting. Awnings shall not be internally illuminated. Lighting directed downwards that does not illuminate the awning is allowed.

6.

Required maintenance. Awning and canopy signs shall be regularly cleaned and kept free of dust and visible defects.

D.

Under canopy signs.

1.

Location. The sign shall be placed or hung only on a ground floor facade, near the main entrance of each leasable tenant space.

2.

Overhead clearance. The lowest point of an under canopy sign shall be no lower than eight (8) feet above finished grade.

3.

Sign structure. Sign supports and brackets shall be compatible with the design and scale of the sign.

E.

Projecting signs.

1.

Maximum area. The sign area devoted to projecting signs shall be included the calculation of the maximum allowable wall sign area pursuant to section 9655.8 B.1. Size uniformity should be maintained along street frontages to the greatest extent possible. The text, copy and logo should not exceed seventy-five (75) percent of the sign background.

2.

Overhead clearance. The lowest point of a projecting sign shall not be lower than eight (8) feet above the ground level.

3.

Sign structure. Sign supports and brackets shall be compatible with the design and scale of the sign.

F.

Window signs. Window signs that are permanent and either painted on or affixed to the window, and which are visible from the public right-of-way or public areas, shall be allowed in addition to the total authorized sign area pursuant to section 9655.8 B.1. The cumulative sign area of this type of window sign shall not exceed five (5) square feet of the total window area. The total window area shall include the aggregate square footage of the vertical glass areas in the windows and entry doors in each individual storefront or tenant space. Exposed neon illumination, exposed fluorescent illumination and scintillating, flashing, animating or revolving signs are prohibited. Window signs are not subject to a sign permit.

(Ord. No. 19-444, § 3, 10-23-2019; Ord. No. 23-472, § 9, 5-22-2024)

9655.8. - Permanent sign entitlement by land use.

A.

Residential land use districts.

1.

Multi-family developments. One (1) monument sign, maximum forty-eight (48) square feet and six (6) feet in height, may be erected on each public street frontage upon which the complex has public access. In addition, interior signs which are visible from any public right-of-way, may be approved by the director provided that such signs do not exceed six (6) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height. Interior signs not visible from any public right-of-way shall not be subject to the requirements of this paragraph.

B.

Commercial, business park and planned development land use districts.

1.

Wall signs for business park, office and retail uses. Each tenant shall be limited to one (1) wall sign per primary frontage integrated into the design of the building. Except as otherwise provided by this part, the

following sign area limitations shall also apply:

a.

Office buildings shall be limited to one (1) sign.

b.

One (1) square foot of signage is allowed per each linear foot of storefront, tenant space, or primary building frontage.

c.

For each tenant located within one hundred (100) feet of any public or private street the maximum sign area shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet. For each tenant located more than one hundred (100) feet from any public or private street, the maximum sign area shall not exceed seventy (70) square feet.

d.

For tenants located in a multi-tenant building or center, the maximum sign length shall not exceed sixty-five (65) percent of the length of the tenant space in order to provide clear definition between signs and avoid a crowded appearance. Each sign shall be generally centered over the storefront or tenant space.

e.

Major tenants in shopping centers. The maximum allowable wall sign area for major tenants in shopping centers, which have a frontage greater than one hundred (100) feet, shall not exceed one (1) square foot of sign area for each foot of primary building frontage. In no event, however, shall the sign exceed two hundred (200) square feet.

f.

Businesses located on second floor in shopping centers. Businesses maintained exclusively on the second floor of a two-story commercial center building may be allowed one (1) wall sign, provided that the square footage of the wall sign not exceed one-quarter of the tenant frontage, or a maximum of ten (10) square feet, whichever is greater.

g.

Frontage on two (2) or more streets. A business located in a commercial or business park building having frontage on more than one (1) street may use the applicable maximum allowable wall sign area in section 9655.8.B.1. on one (1) frontage and one-half of the allowance on the second frontage. Said allowance shall only be utilized on the frontage on which the allowance is based.

h.

Two (2) or more public entrances. A business with a public entrance on a secondary frontage on a parking lot may have a sign located on such frontage which does not exceed ten (10) square feet.

i.

Freeway facing signage. Subject to approval of a sign program, all buildings in commercial, business park, or planned development land use districts, which either directly back or side upon Highway 101, may be permitted a total of one (1) freeway-facing sign, which shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in size . The freeway-facing sign may be increased up to fifty (50) square feet in size in lieu of a sign intended to be on the primary frontage. A maximum of one (1) freeway-facing sign shall be allowed for a tenant occupying multiple buildings in a business park or commercial complex. This provision does not apply to those buildings or uses, which are separated by a public frontage road from the freeway.

2.

Monument Signs. In addition to the wall sign allowances in section 9655.8.B.1, monument signs are allowed as follows:

a.

Commercial center and business park with common name. Any commercial center and business park that has a common name is permitted one (1) monument sign.

b.

Commercial centers and business parks with frontage on two (2) or more streets. Any commercial center or business park with an access driveway on a public street frontage is permitted one (1) monument sign for each public street frontage with an access driveway.

c.

Single tenant building or office building. For a single business totally occupying a building, which is not part of a larger complex, project, center or park, one (1) freestanding monument sign is permitted.

3.

Other signs. In addition to the wall sign allowances in section 9655.8.B.1., the following signs on awnings, projecting signs, under canopy signs, permanent window signs, and signs at drive-thru lanes or windows are allowed:

a.

Signs on awnings. Painted, non-illuminated signs may be permitted on the borders of marquees, canopies, awnings, arcades, or similar structures or attachments. Such signs shall be counted toward the maximum wall sign area allowance pursuant to section 9655.8.B.1.

b.

Projecting signs and under canopy signs. One (1) projecting sign or under canopy sign shall be permitted. Such signs shall be counted towards the maximum wall sign area allowance pursuant to section 9655.8.B.1.

c.

Permanent window signs. Window signs are allowed pursuant to section 9655.7.F. as permanent signs. Window signs are not subject to a sign permit.

d.

Signs at a drive-thru lane or window. For a drive-thru facility, in addition to the signs allowed by section 9655.8.B., two (2) changeable copy signs with a maximum area of thirty (30) square feet each, a maximum height of seven (7) feet, and oriented internally away from the street are permitted.

C.

Gasoline service stations. Gasoline service stations are allowed the following signs, in accordance with state law:

1.

One (1) monument sign as allowed in section 9655.8.B.2. and one (1) changeable copy sign per street frontage, placed on the ground, not to exceed twenty (20) square feet in area and six (6) feet in height. Such sign shall comply with Business and Professions Code Section 13530 et seq. Digital lighting used for the text of changeable copy signs shall be restricted to white bulbs only. The changeable copy sign may be integrated into a monument that complies with the provisions of section 9655.8.B.2.

2.

Two (2) accessory wall signs. One accessory wall sign shall not exceed fifteen (15) square feet in size and the other accessory wall sign shall not exceed ten (10) square feet in size.

3.

Sign at fuel dispenser. A maximum of one (1) sign shall be allowed on or above the actual fuel dispensers not to exceed two (2) square feet in area.

4.

One (1) island canopy sign per street frontage. The sign shall not exceed the height of the fascia and ten (10) square feet in size.

D.

See chapter 5, part 6, for sign regulations for properties located in the Old Agoura Design Overlay District.

(Ord. No. 19-444, § 3, 10-23-2019; Ord. No. 23-472, § 10, 5-22-2024)