AGENDA #4k

 

                                                              MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Calling a Public Hearing on Proposed Signage at the Meadowmont Village Center

 

DATE:             December 11, 2000

 

This memorandum responds to a petition requesting modifications to the Town’s sign regulations.  The attached resolution would call a Public Hearing for February 19, 2001, to consider amending the Development Ordinance as requested, and would refer the petition to the Planning Board, the Community Design Commission and the Manager for recommendation.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On October 23, 2000, Mr. Craig Davis brought a petition to the Town Council (petition attached).  Mr. Davis requests that the Town Council consider amending sign regulations in a manner that would permit signs to be placed in the Meadowmont Village Center as proposed by Mr. Davis.  The specific request is to allow the following additional types of signage in the Town’s Mixed Use-Residential-1 (MU-R-1) zoning district:

 

·                    Permit an additional development identification sign, and allow two messages on each development identification sign – the name of the project and the name of the anchor tenant.

 

·                    Permit project banners to be attached to private light poles in parking lots.

 

PROCESS

 

The Town staff has advised Mr. Davis that the additional types of signage that he is proposing for the Meadowmont Village Center would require the approval of a Development Ordinance Text Amendment by the Town Council.  There are two (2) ways to initiate a Development Ordinance Text Amendment:

 

1.                  The applicant submits an application and fee for the review of a proposed Development Ordinance Text Amendment.  The application includes proposed language to revised the Development Ordinance as desired by the applicant; or

 

2.                  The applicant petitions the Town Council to initiate a change the Development Ordinance.

 

For this particular situation, we suggested to the applicant that he consider presenting a petition to the Town Council to request initiation of a Development Ordinance Text Amendment.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The Meadowmont Village Center development was approved as a mixed use development in the Mixed Use–Residential-1 (MU-R-1) zoning district.  Section 14.13.12 of the Town’s Development Ordinance regulates the specific type and appearance of signage in the Town’s Mixed Use–Residential-1 (MU-R-1) and Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning districts, for such approved developments complying with the mixed use thresholds regulated by Article IV (Mixed Use Zoning Districts) of the Ordinance.

 

The applicant is requesting that the Council initiate a Development Ordinance Text Amendment to make changes to the Sign Ordinance with regard to approved mixed use developments.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We believe that it is reasonable and appropriate for the Town Council to call a Public Hearing to consider possible adjustments to the Town’s sign regulations for approved mixed use developments with regard to the content, location and development of development identification ground signs and parking lot banners on private light poles. 

 

Manager’s Recommendation:  We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution calling a Public Hearing for February 19, 2001, to consider limited adjustments to the Town’s sign regulations for approved mixed use development in the Mixed Use–Residential-1 (MU-R-1) and Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning districts.  The resolution also directs the Manager to prepare the proposed text amendment(s) in a form consistent with the Town’s Development Ordinance and refers the petition to the Planning Board, the Community Design Commission and the Manager for recommendation.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      Petition from Mr. Craig Davis, with attachments (p. 4).

 

RESOLUTION   A

 

A RESOLUTION CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE TOWN’S SIGN REGULATIONS FOR APPROVED MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIXED USE-RESIDENTIAL-1 (MU-R-1) AND MIXED USE-OFFICE/INSTITUTIONAL-1 (MU-OI-1) ZONING DISTRICTS (2000-12-11/R-10)

 

WHEREAS, the Town has received a Petition from Mr. Craig Davis requesting changes to the Town’s Sign Ordinance for approved mixed use developments in the Town’s Mixed Use–Residential-1 (MU-R-1) and Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning districts;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby calls a Public Hearing for Monday, February 19, 2001, to consider changes to the Town’s Sign Ordinance for approved mixed use developments in the Town’s Mixed Use–Residential-1 (MU-R-1) and Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning districts.  

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby directs the Manager to prepare the proposed text amendment(s) in a form consistent with the Town’s Development Ordinance and refers the petition to the Planning Board, the Community Design Commission and the Manager for recommendation.

 

This the 11th day of December, 2000.