Ordinance 2429WSS:jry
05/11/84
ORDINANCE NO. 2429
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHING-
TON, AMENDING §17.40.040 RELATING TO NONCON-
FORMING SIGNS TO PROVIDE FOR METHODS OF RE-
MOVAL AND EXCEPTIONS THERETO AND AMENDMENT OF
§20.040.60 TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF
SIGN AREA, ALLOWABLE SIGN AREA IN CG ZONES,
THE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGNS, AND
THE LOCATION OF FREE STANDING SIGNS, ADDING A
NEW §20.60.045 RELATING TO WALL MOUNTED SIGNS
AND PROVIDING A TIME WHEN THE SAME SHALL BE
EFFECTIVE.
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to provide for the
orderly removal of nonconforming signs under conditions eq-
uitable to the owners of such signs and compatible with the
purposes of the Sign Code, and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to amend the Sign
Code in order to bring its provisions into line with the
economic reality confronting the owners and operators of
commercial businesses, now, therefore,
FOLLOWS:
THE CITY COUNCIL OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS
Section 1. That Section 17.40.040 of the Community
Development Code is hereby repealed and reenacted to read in
words and figures as follows:
17.40.040 Nonconforming Signs. Nonconforming
signs are injurious to the health, safety and wel-
fare and destructive of the aesthetic and environ-
mental living conditions which this zoning ordi-
nance is intended to preserve and enhance. Non-
conforming signs shall be brought into compliance
with the provisions of Chapter 20.60 of this code
under the following terms and conditions:
A. No nonconforming sign shall be expanded,
extended, rebuilt, reconstructed or altered
in any way, provided, however, that the fol-
lowing acts are specifically permitted and
shall not in and of themselves require con-
formance with the provisions of Chapter
20.60:
1. Normal maintenance of the sign;
2. A change in the name of the business desig-
nated on the sign; or
3. Any action necessary to preserve the
public safety in the event of damage to
the sign brought about by an accident or
an act of God.
B. Any nonconforming sign shall be brought into
immediate compliance with the code in the
event that:
1. An act prohibited by the provisions of sub-
paragraph A of this Section occurs;
2. The building to which the nonconforming
sign or signs is appurtenant is remod-
eled or receives an addition equal to
twenty-five percent (25%) of the build-
ing's value prior to the addition or
remodeling;
3. A change in the use of the building to
which the sign is appurtenant or the
land upon which the sign is located
occurs; or
4. An application for the erection of a new
sign or signs is made by the owner or
lessee of the business premises to which
the sign is appurtenant.
C. None of the foregoing provisions relating to
permitted maintenance, name change or pre-
servation of the sign under Paragraph A
shall be construed so as to permit the con-
tinuation or preservation of any nonconform-
ing off -premises sign.
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Section 2. Section 20.60.020, Paragraph C.l., is
hereby repealed and reenacted to read in words and figures as
follows:
20.60.020C.1_. General Regulations. The sign area is
The actual area of the sign visible from any single
point of observation. Supporting structures which
are a part of the sign display shall be included in
the calculation of the sign area.
Section 3. Section 20.60.040 is hereby repealed and
reenacted to read in words and figures as follows:
200060.040 Free Standing'Signs - Special Regula-
tions.
A. Policy. Free standing signs are discouraged
in the BC, BN, and CW zones. Free standing
signs will be approved only if the applicant
can demonstrate to the Architectural Design
Board that no reasonable alternative exists
to satisfy the identification needs of the
business.
B. Area. The maximum area of a free standing
sign shall be as follows:
Zone Maximum Area of Sign
RS & RM 10 square feet (Residential)
Development Identification)
3 square feet (Individual
Residence Sign)
BN
24
square
feet
(single)
48
square
feet
(group)
BC
32
square
feet
(single)
48
square
feet
(group)
CW
32
square
feet
(single)
48
square
feet
(group)
CG
Sign area
shall
be governed
by
subparagraph
C.
C. Allowable Si n Area - CG Zone. The total
allowable sign area for free standing signs
on general commercial sites shall be 56
square feet or one-half square foot of sign
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area for each lineal foot of street frontage
whichever is greater, up to a maximum of 160
square feet of free standing sign area.
Multiple business sites shall further be
allowed an additional 24 square feet of free
standing sign area for each commercial ten-
ant or occupant in excess of one up to a
maximum sign area of 160 square feet. Cor-
ner lots choosing to accumulate sign area
under the provisions of subparagraph E here-
of shall be limited to 160 square feet.
D. Height,
1. Sign height for free standing signs is
the vertical distance from the highest
point of the sign area or its support to
the average elevation of undisturbed
soil at the base of the supports.
2. The maximum sign height of free standing
signs shall be as follows:
Zone Maximum Hei ht
RS, RM 3.5'
BN, BC & CW 14.0'
CG 25.0'
E. Location. Free standing signs shall be
located as close as possible to the center
of the street frontage on which they are
located. They shall not be located on pub-
lic property. Sites on a corner of two
public streets which qualify under the other
terms of this ordinance may have one sign on
the corner instead of a sign for each front-
age.
F. Number. Commercial sites, including multi-
pl�e'Fu—siness sites, shall have only one free
standing sign, unless the site has frontage
on two arterial streets, in which case there
may be one sign per street frontage subject
to the restrictions on area contained within
this ordinance. All other sites may have
only one free standing sign.
G. Landscaping.
1. Each free standing sign shall have a
landscaped area twice the size of the
sign area at the base of the sign, pro-
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vided however that sites zoned CG shall
have a landscaped area equal to the
ratio of one square foot of landscaping
to one square foot of sign area, such
landscaped area to be located at the
base of the free standing sign, or two
square feet of landscaping to one square
foot of sign area for signs located
within the 15' street setback. The
landscaping and sign base shall be pro-
tected from vehicles by substantial
curbing.
2. The applicant shall provide a landscape
performance bond in the amount of 125%
of the estimated costs of the land-
scaping, or $1,000, whichever is more.
The bond shall be processed in accor-
dance with Chapter 17.10.
Section 3. Section 20.60.045 is hereby enacted to
read in letters and figures as follows:
20.60.045 Wall Mounted Signs - General Commer-
cial. The total allowable sign area for each gen-
eral commercial establishment for signs attached to
a building shall be one square foot of sign area
for each lineal foot of building frontage along a
public street and/or along a side of the building
containing the primary public entrance to a maximum
of 200 square feet. The allowable sign area shall
be computed separately for each qualifying building
frontage, and only the sign area derived from that
frontage may be oriented along that frontage. Sign
areas for wall mounted signs may not be accumulated
to yield a total allowable sign area greater than
that permitted such frontage, except that busi-
nesses choosing not to erect a free standing sign
may use up to fifty percent (50%) of their allow-
able free standing sign area for additional at-
tached sign area. Use of the additional area shall
be subject to the review of the Architectural De-
sign Board.
Section 4. This ordinance shall be in full force and
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effect five (5) days after passage and publication by posting
as provided by law.
APPROVED:
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
IT CLERK, JACQUELINE G. PARRETT
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY:
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: May 11 , 1984
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: May 15, 1984
POSTED: May 16, 1984
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 21, 1984
ORDINANCE NO. 2429
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AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING ORDINANCE
STATE OF WASHINGTON )
) ss:
COUNTY OF SNOHO.MISH )
JACQUELINE G. PARRETT
, being first duly sworn
on oath deposes and says that she is over the age of eighteen (18)
years and is competent to testify as to the matter stated herein.
There is no official newspaper or other newspaper printed and
published within the City. In accordance with RCW 35A.12.160, on
the 16 _ day of May
, 1984 , affiant posted true and
correct copies of the attached Ordinance No. X29, passed by the
City Council on the 15 day of
May
1984 , at the
official posting places for City notices which are the public
bulletin boards at the following locations:
Edmonds Civic Center,
250 Fifth Avenue North
Edmonds, Washington 98020
Edmonds Public Library
Civic Center, 250 Fifth Avenue North
Edmonds, Washington 98020
Edmonds Branch of ,United States Post Office
201 Main Street
Edmonds, Washington 98020
DATED this 16 day of May r 19 84
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 16 day of
May _— 1984.
ry Public in and for the
State of Washington, residing
at