COUNCIL REPORT - TEMPORARY SIGN PERMIT – 430 SIX MILE RD
Staff report recommending refusal of a temporary sign permit for two large advertising signs at 430 Six Mile Road.
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COUNCIL REPORT
TO: Council DATE: July 17, 2013 FROM: James Davison, Planner MEETING DATE: July 30, 2013
TEMPORARY SIGN PERMIT – 430 SIX MILE RD
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council refuse a temporary sign permit for two advertising signs for the purpose of real estate advertising as presented in the July 17, 2013 report from the Planner.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER'S COMMENTS
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES' COMMENTS
I concur with the recommendation.
PURPOSE OF REPORT
To present Council with information pertaining to an application for two Temporary Free-Standing Signs for the purpose of real estate advertising at 430 Six Mile Rd.
BACKGROUND
The applicant is selling the property at 430 Six Mile Rd under the mixed-use CD-9A (Lakeside Village Mixed Tourist/Retail Commercial and Residential) zoning and wishes to post two 96 sq. ft. (8.9m²) real estate signs to advertise the sale of the property. Temporary signs are permitted for a 12-month period and extensions are subject to staff approval.
ISSUES AND ANALYSIS
The applicant has submitted the following in support of their application:
- Site Plan showing proposed location of the sign – applicant – April 2013
- Sketch of the sign dimensions – applicant – April 2013
The two signs (8.9m²) exceed the allowable bylaw-exempt size for a Real Estate sign in Sign Zone 3 (1.5m²) and as such requires a temporary sign permit. The permitted term for the temporary sign will be 12 months, after which a renewal will required and subject to staff approval.
The sign size is within the range of other temporary signs recently approved by Council, but the combined sign area of 17.8m is approaching double the total sign area which is allowed on a commercial building. The impact to properties near the property will likely be minimal, given the adjacent PCC interchange road right-of-way, but single-family houses around Chilco Park will be able to see the eastern sign from their houses, and from Chilco Park. The size of the signs are mitigated by their positioning on the property (far back from the road) but are designed to be large enough to be seen from the Trans-Canada highway to the north.
These signs are significantly larger than anything identified within Section 7 of our Land Use Bylaw and staff sees no reason to support such signs. The property itself could be seen to be in violation of our property maintenance bylaw as it is, with an abandoned trailer on-site and overgrown invasive Himalayan Blackberry. Staff believes that the signs would further adversely affect the appearance of the property.
REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
Relating to the Zoning Bylaw Review process, staff will need to draft a new stand-alone Sign Bylaw which will replace the existing one within Section 7 of the current Land Use Bylaw No. 35. Staff is interested in creating more useful sign regulations which reflect contemporary sign requirements and standards and which are consistent with the Form & Character guidelines within the Official Community Plan. Staff will be consulting with the development industry to determine standard sizes for commercial real estate advertising signs. Staff wishes to ensure that there is a balance between what is commercially available and standard, against what the Town considers to be an acceptable visual impact for temporary signs.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
- Council could consider reducing the number and/or sizes of the signs
- Council could require that the invasives and abandoned trailer be removed as a condition of sign approval
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council refuse a temporary sign permit for two advertising signs for the purpose of real estate advertising as presented in the July 17, 2013 report from the Planner.
SUBMITTED BY James Davison MCIP RPP, Planner
REVIEWED BY Lindsay Chase MCIP RPP, Director of Development Services
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