Part 6 — ROTATING MESSAGE BILLBOARDS

The purpose of this part is to establish a pilot program enabling the city council, at its discretion, to permit a limited number of existing billboards to be converted to three-panel rotating message billboards compatible with the aesthetic goals of the city, to ensure that such rotating message billboards do not create visual clutter, visual blight or adversely impact traffic or pedestrian safety, and at the same time to reduce the total number of billboards in the city. This pilot program is part of the demonstrated commitment of the city council to the aesthetic enhancement of the city.

(Ord. 24201.)

A rotating message billboard is a poster panel billboard of approximately three hundred square feet in sign area which has rotating panels with a maximum of three message faces.

(Ord. 24201.)

A.

This part is intended to be a pilot program. This part shall remain in effect until August 1, 1994, or until the number of billboards specified in subsections B. and C. below have been permitted, whichever first occurs.

B.

A maximum of twenty existing billboards will be permitted to convert in accordance with this part, provided that for each existing billboard so converted, one other billboard is first removed.

C.

In addition to the twenty conversions to rotating message billboards pursuant to subsection B., a maximum of ten additional existing billboards will be permitted to convert, provided that for each existing billboard so converted, one other billboard is first removed and three additional existing billboards are improved in a manner satisfactory to the city council so that the sign area of each of the three improved billboards is reduced by approximately twenty percent.

D.

The termination of this pilot program shall not terminate any permit issued for any rotating message billboard prior to the termination of the pilot program. Such rotating message billboards shall become legal nonconforming signs upon termination of the pilot program.

(Ord. 24201.)

A.

No billboard may be converted to a rotating message billboard except as expressly permitted by a planned development (PD) rezoning adopted at the discretion of the city council, in accordance with Chapter 20.60.

B.

Each such PD rezoning application shall be accompanied by:

A city-wide map identifying the location of all existing billboards owned and/or maintained by the applicant;

The location of the billboard proposed for removal;

If applicable, the location of the three additional billboards proposed for sign area reduction; and

A release and indemnification agreement holding the city harmless from any claim or action brought by a property owner of a parcel where the applicant is removing an existing billboard pursuant to this part.

C.

Rotating message billboards located on the same street shall not be closer to each other than two thousand linear feet. Such distance shall be measured linearly along the centerline of the street on which the billboards are located, between perpendicular lines drawn to the centerline of the street from such billboards at the points of the billboards closest to each other.

D.

No PD rezoning which approves a rotating message billboard shall result in a net increase of more than one message surface in the city.

E.

No rotating message billboard shall have a sign area larger than three hundred square feet.

F.

The PD permit for a rotating message billboard shall set forth conditions minimizing sign movement and distraction for vehicular traffic.

G.

No PD rezoning for conversion of a billboard to a rotating message billboard shall be approved unless the city council concurrently approves the billboard proposed for removal and, if applicable, the three

additional billboards proposed for sign area reduction.

(Ord. 24201.)

A.

No PD permit for a rotating message billboard shall be effective until the removal of the designated billboard and, if applicable, the sign area reduction of all three billboards is completed.

B.

In approving the proposed billboard for removal, the city council shall determine, based on assurances by the applicant, that the billboard proposed for removal is not likely to be subject to removal for reasons other than the pilot program established by this part, for example, that the billboard is not proposed to be converted in lieu of just compensation in connection with an eminent domain proceeding.

C.

Although this pilot program is intended to be for a three-year period, it will be subject to review one year after its adoption and may be repealed, amended or extended if the council so desires.

(Ord. 24201.)