Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation - Temporary Program to Allow Off-site Directional Signage for Open HousesCITY OF PALM DESERT DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: RECEIVE AND FILE INFORMATIONAL REPORT REGARDING A TEMPORARY PROGRAM TO ALLOW OFF -SITE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE FOR OPEN HOUSES UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS SUBMITTED BY: Lauri Aylaian, Director of Community Development DATE: 14 April 2011 CONTENTS: 24 March 2011 Letter from California Desert Association of Realtors Recommendation That the City Council receive and file this informational report. No further action is required at this time. Executive Summa The existing municipal code prohibits off -site "open house" directional signage. A three-month trial program for off -site "open house" signage is being implemented in response to concerns brought forth by representatives of the real estate industry. This temporary program will not be made permanent until and unless the trial period is successful and a zoning ordinance amendment is considered by the Planning Commission and considered and approved by the City Council. Discussion The City of Palm Desert has always prohibited offsite directional signage of all types. Enforcement of the prohibition has varied over the years, but has historically been weakest on the weekends due to implementation of a traditional weekday work schedule for Code Compliance personnel. In response to an increasing number of complaints regarding code violations on weekends, the Code Compliance Division began providing services seven days per week in early 2011. Chief among the complaints that prompted this change was the proliferation of temporary signs that accumulated on the weekends for open houses, garage sales, and retail businesses. After a month of weekend enforcement, which included removal of hundreds of signs from the public right of way, representatives of the California Desert Association of Realtors approached City staff and asked for relief from enforcement. Over the ensuing weeks, staff members discussed options with the realtors. The goal was to balance the needs of home buyers and sellers with the interests of the community at large, so that buyers can find open houses, but the Palm Desert visual aesthetic is not degraded by advertising. Informational Staff Report 14 April 2011 Page 2 of 2 As a result of these discussions, a three-month trial signage program was approved under section 25.68.090.E of the municipal code. This section allows for Open House signs to be located in the public right of way in unique circumstances, if written approval is granted by the Director of Community Development. The trial program has these conditions: • Signs must be 18" X 24" with brown letters on a beige background, without logos, branding, phone numbers, or other marketing information. • No signs are allowed in the right-of-way for Highway 111 or Highway 74, both of which have scenic preservation overlay zones. • Signs may only be present during the hours when an open house is being conducted with a realtor on site. • The realtor must obtain permission from the underlying property owner for erection of the temporary sign. • No more than one off -site directional sign is permitted per open house, and no more than one sign is permitted per intersection. This will prohibit a realtor from erecting signs from several blocks away to lead buyers through a series of streets to get to the property they are marketing. • The California Desert Realtors Association will educate their members about the regulations and will provide pre-printed signs for sale to their members. As with any Temporary Use Permit, the City can revoke permission at any time if the conditions of the permit are violated. Barring such revocation, the program will last from April through June 2011. If, at the end of that time, the program has been successful, the Realtor Association may petition the City to make the program permanent. However, such a change would necessitate a revision of the zoning ordinance, which requires consideration by the Planning Commission, and consideration and approval by the City Council. Fiscal Analysis There is no cost to the City for this trial signage program. Submitted by: Lauri Aylaian Director of Community Development M. Wohlmuth, City Manager CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENTED RECEIVED =LLOTHER MEET G D 'T < _ AYES•KP NOES: _._. ABSENT: 6,ne ABSTAIN! VERIFIED BY: Original on File with City rk's Office CADocuments and Settings\tbecker\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\QY04JGOX\Open House Signage Informational Report.doc 44475 Monterey Avenue `^ Palm Desert, California 92260 r n tel 760-346-5637 / fax: 760-568-3779 CALIFORNIA DESERT info@cdaronline.com R EA LTO R` Association of REALTORS" CalDesertRealtors.com S.com DesertAreaML SoCalDesertMLS.com KECow, wl ° �P�I � �:'1rE'� r'Y� 7'1-t DesertAreaCIE.com t ���i bay+:5 (��►'I� t1v�, J�/le Zol)� Laurie Aylaian, Director SvbJec' to rp ,,k Colic fi'm Dept of Community Development Palm Desert Civic Center %I p 5+9n 5 i ��b 1 G ('+9ht of w �r 73 -5 10 Fred Waring Drive Jf,ih wa� !Il a.�ot ffi j vW � 1g Palm Desert, CA 92260 • ^fo o ff/I hov-pe wi �vt- f' vvwre T1r►arl c4e off-5r'te d�recitio✓7z jC9✓+, March 24, 2011 A v 51t- ha re e toy a RE: Real Estate Directional Signs D�i(�f P�f 10V11� o ne s r ✓1 i t q tfa�i Z8. N 20l I Dear Ms. Aylaian: ©,`/ Thank you again for your consideration of an exception to the Palm Desert Sign O/dinaiice that would allow REALTORSO to place temporary Open House directional signs on public property. In order to allow REALTORSO to guide prospective buyers to properties for sale while minimizing visual clutter at city intersections we request that you grant a narrow, written exception to the prohibition on directional signs on public property: At an intersection of streets where no private property is available to display a directional sign, a real estate licensee may place a single, unbranded open house directional sign on public property five feet back from the curb or sidewalk A.- road- The directional sign must be no larger than IS" x 24" composed of brown letters on a beige background connected to a wire frame "H" stake. Concurrent with the establishment of this code exception the California Desert Association of REALTORSO (CDAR) would begin a comprehensive process to educate our members on the new procedure and how they can collaborate to make it work for the city, sellers, buyers and agents. CDAR will post notices on our website and in our Multiple Listing Service. We will send an email message to aii our members and to all REALTORSO with active property listings in the city of Paim Desert. We will announce the new sign rule at our Monthly General Membership meeting and ask the managing brokers of the various real estate offices to announce the new rules at their office meetings. We suggest that this procedure be adopted for the balance of the 2011 winter/spring season and then be reevaluated by city staff and the real estate community over the summer months. Again, thank you for your time and attention to this important issue. We look forward to working with you on a mutually satisfactory resolution to this problem. SincW ely, B�irt"McCh n e yy Governmental Affairs Director