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Home My WebLink About1993-083 Political Signs• • ORDINANCE NO. 93-83 AN ORDINANCE: relating to buildings, streets, and sidewalks, repealing prohibitions against placing political signs in public rights-of-way not currently dedicated to public use and enacting Sections 11 08 075 and 11 08.077 and amending Section 8.20.010 all of the City of Yakima Municipal Code. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA: Section 1 Section 11 08 075 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code is hereby enacted to read as follows: "11.08.075 Amendment to Section 403. Section 403 of the Uniform Sign Code, adopted by this chapter, is amended to read as follows: Sec 403. (a) General. Signs shall conform to the clearance and projection requirements of this section and Tables Nos. 4-B and 4-C. (b) Clearance from High Voltage Power Lines. Signs shall be located not less than 6 feet horizontally or 12 feet vertically from overhead electrical conductors which are energized in excess of 750 volts. The term 'overhead conductors' as used in this section means an electrical conductor, either bare or insulated, installed above the ground, except when conductors are enclosed in iron pipe or other approved material covering of equal strength. (c) Clearance from Fire Escapes, Exits or Standpipes. Signs or sign structures shall not be erected in such a manner that a portion of their surface or supports will interfere with the free use of any fire escape, exit or standpipe. (d) Obstruction of Openings. Signs shall not obstruct openings to the extent that light or ventilation is reduced to a point below that required by this code. Signs erected within 5 feet of an exterior wall in which there are openings within the area of the sign shall be constructed of noncombustible material or approved plastics. (e) Projection over Alleys. Signs or sign structures shall not project into a public alley below a (1s)ord/politclsgns.jv 1 • height of 14 feet above grade, nor project more than 12 inches when the sign structure is located 14 feet to 16 feet above grade The sign or sign structure may project not more than 36 inches into a public alley when the sign or sign structure is located more than 16 feet above grade." (f) Clearance from Streets. Except for political signs, signs shall not project within 2 feet of the curb line. Such political signs shall not project into the roadway " Section 2 Section 8 20 010 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "8.20 010 Use of public right-of-way without permit prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to use, for a private purpose, any public right-of-way utilized for a public purpose without first obtaining a permit therefor pursuant to this chapter and without otherwise complying with provisions of this chapter applicable to such occupancy or use, provided, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to work in public right-of-way performed by the City, its agents or contractors, or to occupancy and use of public right-of-way under the authority of any franchise granted by the City, or to persons using or occupying public right-of-way pursuant to some other permission or authority granted by the City This chapter shall not apply to political signs placed in public rights-of-way not currently dedicated to public use. Such areas may include but are not limited to the area between the sidewalk and the curb of a roadway " Section 3 Section 11 08 077 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code is hereby enacted to read as follows: "11.08.077 Amendment to Section 703. Section 703 of the Uniform Sign Code, adopted by this chapter, is amended to read as follows: Section 703. Ground signs shall not project over public property or beyond a legal setback provided, however, that political signs may project beyond a legal setback except for driveway and corner clearview triangles." Section 4 This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter (ls)ord/politclsgns.jv 2 • PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approved this 24th day of August ,1993 ATTEST City Clerk Publication Date: _ 9-1-93 10-1-93 Effective Date: (1s)ord/politclsgns.jv 3 6122,t- &„df - Mayor MEMORANDUM To Mayor, Yakima City Council and City Manager From Don Skone, Planning Division Manager Bob Shampine, Code Division Manager Date August 24, 1993 Subject. Political Sign Regulation Amendments Included in the Council's consideration of Zoning Ordinance Amendments are amendments specifically related to political signs. The Yakima City Council began its discussion of amendments related to Political Signs on August 25, 1992. This discussion was followed by a memo (September 22, 1992) from the Legal Dept. addressing the issue, identifying applicable sections of the municipal code, and, asking for Council direction. In response, the City Council decided to initiate amendments to allow political signs in street rights-of-way and referred the matter to the Regional Planning Commission. Since the joint City Council/County Commissioner's public hearing on Zoning Amendments (April 20, 1993), an additional section of the UAZO has been identified which also needs to be modified in order to implement the direction of Council This Section, YMC 15.08.080 , regulates projection of signs into the right of way and prohibits signs of less than 8 feet in height from locating in or projecting over the right of way Initiation of an amendment to the YMC 15 08 080 and review by the RPC will be necessary to exclude political signs from this section RECOMMENDATION Based upon the Council's direction to permit political signs in street rights-of- way and desire to apply this policy during this election year, the staff recommends the following actions: 1 Adopt the proposed ordinance submitted in Agenda Item #13A -C modifying the Urban Area Zoning Ordinance (YMC Title 15), Uniform Sign Code (YMC 11 08) and the Right of Way Use Permit Section (YMC 8 20) 2. Administer the (proposed) right of way use section of the Municipal Code (YMC 8.20) as the authority and Council direction for permitting signs within the right of way 3. Direct staff to prepare amendments to Section YMC 15 08 080 to be included in the 1994 Zoning Amendment process. (This process will begin in October 1993)