MARCH 30, 2010 SPECIAL SESSIONCITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH
"COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME"
CITY COUNCIL
MAYOR fdr/LL,'AA4 D. SESSOMS, JR., Al-Large
VICE MAYOR LOUIS l2..IONES, Bay.cir(e -District -I
lU'l'A SWEGT BELL/"/ f0, A(-Large
GL ENN R. DA h/S, Rose Hall - Di.cn ict 3
WILLIAM R. DeSTEPH, At-Large
HARRY E. D/EZEL, Kempcville -Districl 2
ROHERT M. DYER, Ccntcrrille -Districl /
BARBARA M. I IENLE'Y, Prince,c.c Anne - Uisn-ict 7
.IOHN E. UHR;N, Beach -District <,
ROS6MAR}' Gi'!/.SON, At-Large
JAti16SL. N~OOD, Lytvthaven -District S
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL FORMAL SESSION
CITY /TALL BUIL.GI,'JG
~anl couRTllousc DIIrnE~
VIRGINIA GEACH, VIRGINIA 2395ci-800
PHONE: (757) 38.i-430
FA,Y (757) 38>-.SGGJ
E- MAIL: Ct~~cncl@»bgov cony
CIl'YMANAG[~R-JAMES K. SI'ORL
CITYATTOIWEY- AIARKSTILES
CITY ASSESSOR - JERAI,D BANAGAN
C/TYAUD/TOR- L}NDONS. REMIAS
CITY CLF,RK -RUTH HODGES ERASER, MMC 3 0 MARCH 2 010
- Ci Council Conference Room - 4:00 PM
I. SPECIAL FORMAL SESSION ry
A. CALL TO ORDER -Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr.
1. READING OF THE MAYOR'S CALL FOR FORMAL SESSION
B. ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL
C. PROPOSED FY 2010-2011 OPERATING BUDGET and
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
James K. Spore, City Manager
Catheryn Whitesell, Director -Management Services
D. COMPENSATION/BENEFITS
Fagan Stackhouse, Director -Human Resources
E. STATE BUDGET IMPACTS
Catheryn Whitesell, Director -Management Services
5:30 PNI
II. REVIEW OF SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
- Council Chamber - 6:00 :PNI
III. LED SIGN ORDINANCE
Ordinance to AMEND ~ 111 and ADD §217 of the City Zoning Ordinance (CZO) re requirements for
monument and electronic display signs (LED) (deferred February 9, March 9 and March 23, 2010).
IV. ADJOURNMENT
i ,~~ct
ro4 '%~''~
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CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH
AGENDA ITEM
ITEM: An Ordinance to Amend Section 111 and Add New Section 217 to the City
Zoning Ordinance, Defining Monument Signs and Electronic Display Signs and
Establishing Requirements for Such Signs
MEETING DATE: March 30, 2010
^ Background:
This item was deferred by the City Council on February 9 to provide a
subcommittee of the City Council time to meet and review the proposed
ordinance in light of various issues expressed by City Council members during
the Informal Council Session on February 9.
The City of Virginia Beach currently has no regulations specific to signs that
utilize these technologies. The Zoning Ordinance is silent on the use of electronic
display elements as part of a sign. As a result, electronic display elements, as
part of a sign or as an entire sign face, have made a steady advance across the
city when new signs have been installed. As noted above, with the increased
sophistication of digital sign technology, the slowly decreasing costs, and the
plethora of advertising alternatives electronic display signs offer, such signs are
becoming, if not are, the standard for signage.
The City Council heard comments from the public regarding the proposed
ordinance at their March 23, 2010 meeting. The item was then deferred to the
March 30 meeting.
^ Considerations:
The attached comparison table summarizes the two most recent alternative
ordinances developed by the City Council subcommittee.
The following provides the chronology of the development of the amendments:
• August 25, 2009 -City Council refers ordinance to the Planning
Commission
• September to November 2009 -Planning Cornrnission holds public
workshops and meetings
• January 13, 2010 -Planning Commission recornrnends more restrictive
"Alternate Ordinance" to City Council
• February 9, 2010 -City Council defers ordinance for briefing
• February 16, 2010 -City Council briefing; subcommittee formed
City of Virginia Beach -Electronic Display Signs Amendment
Page 2 of 2
• February 19, 2010 -First subcommittee meeting
• February 26, 2010 -Second subcommittee meeting
• March 9, 2010 -Briefing to City Council on City Council subcommittee
version.
• March 19, 2010 -Revised version of the ordinance developed by the City
Council subcommittee is distributed.
• March 23, 2010 -Public hearing to receive comments.
There is opposition.
^ Recommendations:
Approval of the ordinance developed by the City Council subcommittee, as
distributed on March 19, 2010.
^ Attachments:
Comparison Table
`City Council Subcommittee' Ordinances
Recommended Action: Approval
Submitting DepartmentlAgency: Planning Department
City Manager: ~~`
1 AN ORDINANCE TO ~ THE CITY ZON NG 10RD NAN DD
2 NEW SECTION 217 T
3 DEFINING MONUMENESTABL SHING REQU REMEONTS
4 DISPLAY SIGNS AND
5 FOR SUCH SIGNS
6
7 Section Amended: City Zoning Ordinance Section 11
8
9 Section Added: City Zoning Ordinance Sections 21
10 WHEREAS, signs that are capabl attract ands ho d the attenfion ofcmot rists and
11 (electronic display signs) are designed to reater distances
12 other passers-by and are generally brighter and more visible from g
13 than ordinary signs; and
14
15 WHEREAS, while such signs are capable of providing a greater amount o
16 information than ordinary signs by virtue of their visibility and changeability, and
17 therefore serve a valuable purpose to cons c esi ns~ they rhave the dpotential~ if left
18 such information and to the owners of su 9 earance
19 unregulated, to unreasonably distract motorists and to adversely affect the app
20 of the City; and
21 earance,
22 WHEREAS, the City Council deems traffic safety and community app
23 including the economic benefits accruing to t nm In al nterestsl deserv ng oftprotect on~
24 visitors and businesses, to be important gover
25 and
26
27 WHEREAS, the City Council finds That rotect and tadvance the intere~stpslan traffic
28 provided by this Ordinance will substantia y p
29 safety and community appearance of the City, its residents and its businesses by
30 limiting the number, size, height, location brightness, frequency of message changes
31 and other characteristics of such signs, a
32
33 WHEREAS, it is not the purpose oeSh disl layedu onl Isucdhopig 9 thn Ormanner
34 to regulate the content of the messag p
35 inconsistent with the protections afforded by the a°mannel~ n whi h t elregulations set
36 Commonwealth of Virginia, but rather to dare°narrowly tailored to serve the aforesaid
37 forth herein (1) are content-neutral; (2)
3g governmental interests and (3) allow ample alternative means of communication;
39
40 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CIT
41 OF VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA:
42
That Section 111 of the City Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended and
43 ertainin to electronic display signs, is hereby
44 reordained, and a new Section 217, p 9
45 added, to read as follows:
46
47 Sec. 111. Definitions.
48 For the purpose of this ordinance, words usedu~et the plural and the plural) the
49 the future; words used in the singular number inc the word "shall" is
ender shall be applicable to all genders;
50 singular; the use of any g
51 mandatory; the word "may" is permissive; the word ,~lae donncncldudes aln ind vidual,
52 described as being above mean sea level; and the word p
53 a partnership, association, or corporation.
54
55 In addition, the following terms shall be defined as herein indicate
56 ••••
57 Sin electronic dis la A si n contains er illuhminatiotn devi~ess or aDserie bof
58 o tics li ht bulbs lasma dis la screens or oth
5g vertical or horizontal slats or c tinders that are ca ht o~colors d sala edt b t such s hnt
60 are used to chan e the messa es intensit of li
61 The term shall not include si ns on which li hts ° les of notuless than dee 15 seconds
g2 onl the tem erature or time of da in alternatin c
63 or onl~~ ;r^+^r vehicle fuel prices disglayed continuously.
64 rimaril by internal structural
65 Sign, monument. A freestanding sign supported p Y
66 framework or integrated into landscaping or of tesevendt Sf vet(75) percent of the total
67 support poles, and the base of which is at leas Y
68 width of the sign. Monument si ns have the followin additional characteristics:
69
70 a The width of the base does net 1x food be I ondheither outs dehedoe of the
71 structure and does not extend more than •n
72 face of the sign;
73 ,Pen eighteen (18) inchp~ and four (4) feet
74 (b= height of the base is bet~r
75 and
76
77 c The maximum hei ht of the si n as measured from round level oes nc
78 exceed eight (8) feet.
79
80
81
2
COMMENT
82
83 The amendments in Lines 33-39 defineemeerature/signs that do not alternate cycles more
$4 excluded from the definition are ordinary time/t p asoline rices. The
85 frequently than every five se section refin tithe d finitionsof thetermn monlument sign.p
86 remaining amendments to th
87
88 ••••
89
90
91 ARTICLE 2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES APPLICABL
92 TO ALL DISTRICTS
93
94 ••••
95
96 B. SIGN REGULATIONS
97
98 ••••
99
100 Sec 217 Electronic display signs•
101
102 a Electronic dis la si ns shall confPoa~ [3 Article 21and a I a is I cable sian
103 a licable eneral si n re ulations sit forth
104 re ulations of the district in which an electronic dis la si n is located.
105 b Electronic dis la si ns shall be allowed:
106
107
108 1 In the B-1A B-2 B-3 and B-4 Business Distric s•
109
110 2 In con'unction with hotels in the RT-1 Resort Tourist Distric
111
112 3 In con•unction with schools or other ublic uses in an zonin
113 district' rovided that electreai o d's With the a In rovaluof tthe C th
114 public parks shall b~ allow
115 Council
116
117 4 In the B-3A PembrokeDCe DistricBtuw•th the aoreoDastorf the Cit t CouBnciC
118 Central business Mixed
119
120 5 B conditional use ermit in con unction with reli ious uses locate
121 in a Residential or A artment District' and
122
123 6 In the PDH-1 Planned Unit Develo ment District b modification c
124 the land use plan.
125
3
126 c No electronic dis la si n shalrnent is allowed to have Ia freestandin ssi n
127 establishment unless such use or establish
under a licable district si n re ulations and nota ~ n sthe srovlisbons lof subd vis on
12i
129 Historic and Cultural District. In addition notwit s
10 of subsection d no electronic dis la si n withiDnHrlvPlanned Unit Develonment
130
131 Residential or A artment District or an onion of
istrict other than a commercial area shall be illuminated between the hours of 10:00
132 ~
133 p_:00 a.m.
134
135 d Electronic dis la si ns shall conform to the followin re uirements:
136
137 1 No more than one such si n shall be ermitted on an zonin o '
138 No such si n shall exceed a height of eight (8) feet;
139 (2
140
141 3 The area encom assed otal areaeof the aln face or thirt ttwo 32
142 three fourths (314) of the t
s uare feet er face whichevedre s~ dth.on all sides e u valent to
143
144 anel shall have a minimum bor
ten er cent 10% of the total widtdh Inf deteern ni ~nlthe' area of the
145 Such border shall not be include
146
147 si n'
148
149 4 Such si ns shall be monumhat int the I B 3A rPembrokeh Central
150 111 rovided however t
1 Business Core District and B I ow an nestabBshment to have one
15
152 District the Cit Council ma a
3 wall-mounted 1 electronic dis la sin in lieu of a buildin
15
154 identification sign;
155
156 5 No such si n shall adven isbuoinelsscortservice that isflocated onr a
157 ublic to an establishm
158 se crate site from the zonin lot on which the si n is located'
159
160 6 The electronic dis la elements or anh matter othe thadnltext a d a
161 ictures other ra hic
sin le to o without back round ,on for a'os n Thermit reduired bd
1 ~2 shall be shown on the a licati
163
164 Secti-°n 210.1 '
165
66 7 The ixel itch of the electroni smallera' ortion of such si ns sha
1 be nineteen (19) millimeters or
167
168
4
169 8 All electronic dis la s shaulences shalltl beoaccom ola hedtbe means
170 (1) hour and Chan e se
171 of instantaneous re- ixelntall~minatioonlllof elements olfnthe disaa
172 other t e of Intermltte
173 shall be prohibited;
g Audio s Bakers on or electronicall connected to such si ns shal
174
175 not be permitted;
176
177
8 10 Such si ns shall not exceed ware meter from sulnase to sunset
17
179 thousand 5 000 candelas er s
0 or five hundred 500 candelasrom then s nefaceeate max mum
1i
181 and sunrise as measured
bri htness and shall be e ui ede ucin the I tluminartion tonthe
182
183 device ca able of automatlcal
184 re wired sunset-to-sunrise levedle Written cert'i ication from t e si I nn
185 ermit the a licant shall Nr~v
186 manufacturer that the II ht Intelevel.has been factor re set not to
187 exceed the maximum Intensity
188
189 11 The electrical service lines rovidin ower to such si ns shall e
190 underaround_
191
192 COMMENT
193
194
195 The amendments allow electronichoolsaand other public ulsesn with the excepton of pubh c
196 conjunction with certain uses, such as sc
197 parks. In other places, such as public ed with a City1Council approa l.idential and Apartmen
1 g$ Districts, electronic display signs are allow
199 p y g in addition to the
200 The amendments also provide that electeneral si naregulat onsuco~ntained in Part B of
201 provisions of this section, conform to the City's g licable sign regulations of the district in
202 Article Z of the City Zoning Ordinance and to the app
203 which the sign is located. In particular, the °ved bathe district regulat ons applicable to thelsite~gn
204 is permitted only if a freestanding sign is allo Y
205
206 In addition, there are a number of requirements specific to electronic display signs t a
207 address the special characteristics of such nd lluminatione In add'i ion,the ordinance proh bits
208 frequency of message changes, wiring, sound a eneral ublic to an
209 electronic display signs from va evthat isgocat dronta separatets te~from theesign. Thipprovision is
210 establishment, business or s
211 consistent with the City's prohibition of billboards.
212
213 Adopted by the City Council of the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on t e
214 day of , 2010.
5
215
Approved as to Content:
R-19
March 17, 2010
Approved as to Legal Sufficiency:
7
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City Attorney's Office
CA10718
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City of tTirgina g~a-ch
`~~~~OY.CUIiI
PLANNING DEPARTMENT/DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CENTER (DSC)
PHCNE (757) 385-8277
FAX (757)385-5789
TDD 711
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 17, 2010
TO: James K. Spore, City Manager
' e Plannin Director
FROM: W. Jack Whitn y, 9
MUNICIPAL CENTER
BUILDING 2, ROOM 191
2405 COURTHOUSE DRIVE
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 234569040
SUBJECT: Electronic Display Signs, Proposed Amendment to the City Zoning
Ordinance, Size
I am writing in response to Councilman DeSteph's request that staff provide clear
information regarding the size of an electronic display sign that will be allowed with the
new compromise amendment (labeled R-19 or revision 19) by Councilwoman Wilson
and Councilman Davis. In this version, 75% of the permitted sign area for a
freestanding sign can be electronic display with a maximum of 32 square feet. A
summary table follows:
Use < 100' Frontage 100' to 200' Over 200' Frontage
Fronta e
Business uses in No freestanding Maximum 32 sq. ft. Maximum 75 sq. ft.
B-3
B-2
the B-1A sign allowed freestanding sign freestanding sign
,
,
and B-4 Districts allowed
Maximum 24 sq. ft. allowed
Maximum 32 sq. ft.
can be electronic can be electronic
display display
Hotels in the RT-1 No freestanding Maximum 32 sq. ft. Maximum 75 sq. ft.
District sign allowed freestanding sign freestanding sign
allowed allowed
Maximum 24 sq. ft. Maximum 32 sq. ft.
can be electronic can be electronic
display display
Use < 100' Frontage 100' to 200' Over 200' Frontage
Frontage
Schools, public and Maximum 24 sq. ft. Maximum 24 sq. ft. Maximum 24 sq. ft.
private in all zoning freestanding sign freestanding sign freestanding sign
districts allowed allowed allowed
Maximum 18 sq. ft. Maximum 18 sq. ft. Maximum 18 sq. ft.
can be electronic can be electronic can be electronic
display display display
Public parks As approved by City As approved by City As approved by City
Council Council Council
Religious Uses in One freestanding One freestanding One freestanding
Residential Districts sign per entrance sign per entrance sign per entrance
with a maximum of with a maximum of with a maximum of
24 sq. ft. 24 sq. ft. 24 sq. ft.
Maximum 18 sq. ft. Maximum 18 sq. ft. Maximum 18 sq. ft.
can be electronic can be electronic can be electronic
display display display
Or as approved by Or as approved by Or as approved by
City Council with the City Council with the City Council with the
CUP CUP CUP
In the PDH-1 As approved by City As approved by City As approved by City
District Council Council Council