Poway Municipal Code Art. VII Design Standards

Each sign shall be designed with the intent and purpose to complement the architectural style of the main building or buildings or type of business on the site and, to the extent possible, signs located on commercial sites but in a predominantly residential area shall take into consideration compatibility with the residential area.

A. Relationship to Buildings. Signs located upon a lot with only one main building housing the use which the sign identifies shall be designed to be compatible with the predominant visual elements of the building, such as construction materials, color or other design detail. Each sign located upon a lot with more than one main building, such as a shopping center or other commercial or industrial area developed in accordance with a common development plan, shall be designed to be compatible with predominant visual design elements common or similar to all such buildings or the buildings occupied by the “main tenants” or principal uses. The Development Services Director may condition his/her recommendation or approval of a sign to require such visual elements to be incorporated into the design of the sign where such element(s) are necessary to achieve a significant visual relationship between the sign and building or buildings.

B. Relationship to Other Signs. Where there is more than one freestanding sign located on a lot, all such signs shall have designs which are complementary to each other by either similar treatment or incorporation of one or more of the following design elements:

1. Type of construction materials, such as cabinet, sign copy, supports;

2. Letter style of sign copy;

3. Type or method used for supports, uprights or structure on which sign is supported;

4. Sign cabinet or other configuration of sign area;

5. Shape of entire sign and its several components.

C. Landscaping. Each freestanding sign shall be located in a planted landscaped area which is of a shape, design and size equal to at least the maximum allowable sign area that will provide a compatible setting and ground definition to the sign. The landscaping shall be maintained in a neat, healthy and thriving condition.

D. Illumination and Motion. Signs shall be nonmoving, stationary structures (in all components) and illumination, if any, shall be maintained by artificial light which is stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times (nonflashing).

E. Sign Copy. The name of the business, use, service and/or identifying logo shall be the dominant message on the sign. Address numbers are required to be shown for each business or center on a freestanding sign or, if none exists, on the building. The area of the address numbers shall not count against the allowable sign area.

F. Relationship to Streets. Signs shall be designed so as not to obstruct any pedestrian, bicyclist or driver’s view of right-of-way. A freestanding sign adjacent to a driveway or street providing vehicular access to an abutting lot or street shall not be located within 15 feet of the intersection of the driveway and the street right-of-way and/or shall comply with the design standards for site visibility of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) (see PMC § 17.08.240(C)).

G. Maximum Sign Height. Freestanding signs shall be designed to be low profile. New and replacement freestanding signs shall not be approved for heights greater than eight feet unless the City Council finds that extraordinary circumstances exist which warrant the approval of a sign greater than eight feet in height. Such extraordinary circumstances shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Impaired visibility from vehicles entering or exiting the primary driveway of the proposed or existing development;

2. Placement of an existing nonconforming building is such that there is limited, if not any, space available for a visible low-profile sign; and

3. The grade of the site is such that the placement of a low-profile sign would not be visible from the street.

(Ord. 82 § 1 (Exh. A), 1983; Ord. 113 §§ 1 (Exh. A 7.5(A – F)), 3, 1983; Ord. 427 (Exh. A), 1993; Ord. 518, 1999; Ord. 674 § 45, 2008; Ord. 739 § 2, 2012)