Since early 2011, County planning staff has been conducting public outreach and working with consultants to draft a Sign Ordinance that can be administratively regulated by codifying current County Board practices. The proposed ordinance may significantly impact the approval of future signage, most notably in the areas of roof-top signage, lighting and electronic communication.
In December 2010, the County Board approved a work plan for updating the Zoning Ordinance. The first phase of the work plan called for a comprehensive revision to the Sign Ordinance (Section 34 of the Zoning Ordinance). Since early 2011, County planning staff has been conducting public outreach and working with consultants with the intent of drafting a Sign Ordinance that can be administratively regulated by codifying current County Board practices. The revised Sign Ordinance is currently slated to be before the County Board at their July 2012 meeting.
In contrast to the present Special Exception process, staff has endeavored to create regulations to allow all sign related applications to be entirely administratively reviewed and approved, without the need for Board review and action. As currently drafted, the revised Ordinance would limit Special Exception requests to only the following modifications: reallocation of sign area among sign types, placement standards and hours of illumination. In addition to the approval process, other significant changes include: new methodology for the measurement of rooftop and wall signage, restrictions on lighting standards and proposed limitations on signs facing residential zoning districts.
Despite the stated objective to codify current approval practice, the proposed Sign Ordinance has significant implications on the approval of future signage, most notably in the areas of rooftop signage, lighting, and electronic communication.
Acting on then Chairman Zimmerman’s small business initiative, the County Board approved minor changes to the Sign Ordinance in December 2011 to allow flexibility for temporary sidewalk and umbrella signage. The December 2011 revisions were intended to be temporary revisions, as the proposed Sign Ordinance will be presented to the County Board in July 2012 with a staff recommendation to approve. In conjunction with their recommendation, staff will propose several alternatives for certain sign types, from which the County Board will choose which to approve. For example, in the most recent draft of the proposed Sign Ordinance, staff has suggested four alternatives regarding the standards for lighted signs. These four alternatives for further restricting lighted signs are as follows:
[OPTION A: no additional restrictions]
Under no circumstances shall a sign placed above a height of 40 feet and directly facing the monumental core, George Washington Parkway or Arlington Cemetery be lighted between midnight and 8 am.
[OPTION B: reduced hours of illumination]
Under no circumstances shall a sign placed above a height of 40 feet and directly facing the monumental core, George Washington Parkway or Arlington Cemetery be lighted between 10 pm and 8 am.
[OPTION C: no lighted signs]
Under no circumstances shall a sign placed above a height of 40 feet and directly facing the monumental core, George Washington Parkway or Arlington Cemetery be lighted.
[OPTION D: no signs above 40 feet]
Under no circumstances shall a sign be placed above a height of 40 feet and directly facing the monumental core, George Washington Parkway or Arlington Cemetery.
Similar alternatives may be presented for illumination levels and commercial signage adjacent to residential zoning districts.
Throughout the drafting and review process, staff has received a number of comments regarding the proposed Sign Ordinance. The most significant comments have addressed the entirely administrative process, rooftop signage and illumination. On the topic of administrative approval, most agree that administrative approval of signage would provide a more streamlined and certain process for applicants, but also remove the flexibility to encourage new sign proposals. With a narrow opportunity for modifications, both the public and industry have opined that meaningful review of worthy proposals will be stymied. During a joint Planning Commission and County Board work session on the proposed Sign Ordinance, several Board members expressed their desire to allow a small percentage of sign requests to still come before the Board. However, it remains to be seen whether the proposed Sign Ordinance, as currently drafted, will fulfill the Board’s desire.
CLICK HERE to read the most recent draft of the proposed Sign Ordinance.
CLICK HERE to read the current Sign Ordinance.
