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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: November 2, 2011 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: Community Development CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: Cynthia McCormick, AICP DIRECTOR: James Lindsay
SUBJECT: Sign Ordinance Update
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Provide input to staff.
REPORT SUMMARY:
The City’s Sign Ordinance (Article 15-30) received its last major update in the early 1990s with
some minor updates in 2006. Over time, several court cases have established the legal framework
used to determine whether a sign ordinance conforms to the First Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution. Several regulations of the existing Sign Ordinance restrict signs based on content,
such as political signs and real estate signs. Therefore the primary objective of the Sign
Oridinance Update is to make Saratoga’s sign regulations content neutral. A regulation that is
content neutral is one which is applicable regardless of the message of the sign. Secondary
objectives, discussed at two City Council/Planning Commission joint meetings included:
• Consider sign ordinances of other cities
• Consider the appropriate parameters (area, height, type, etc.) for Saratoga
• Updated ordinance should reflect the values of our community
• Consider implementation (e.g. amortization schedule, enforcement, timing)
• Design Guidelines might be needed
Overview:
On January 28th, 2011, the City Council directed staff to complete an update to the Sign
Ordinance. Public outreach through the Chamber of Commerce began in February. A survey to
gather public opinions on various aspects of the current Sign Ordinance was placed on the City
website and mailed to several hundred businesses, representatives from local Home Owners
Associations, and anyone who signed up to receive emails about City activities.
In addition to a public workshop sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce on June 23rd, the
Planning Commission held sign ordinance study sessions on July 12th, August 22nd, September
27th, October 11th, and October 18th. Progress made during these study sessions is discussed
further in this report.
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Discussion:
On July 12th, a draft ordinance, prepared by staff in cooperation with the City Attorney’s office,
was presented to the Planning Commission. The draft ordinance had the following changes:
(1) eliminated direct references to content; (2) reduced redundancy in the Code; (3) generally
kept the same standards for sign size, design, placement, lighting, materials, and type of sign
structures; and (4) generally kept the same format for regulating signs by zoning district.
Following the July 12th Study Session, Planning Commissioners each took a different area of the
city and photographed most signs throughout the city to develop a database of signs that exist in
Saratoga today.
On August 22nd, the Commission reviewed the sign photos to understand the diversity and
parameters (e.g. area, height, materials, etc.) that define the signs that exist today. This was to
provide context between the existing ordinance and the direction for the ordinance update.
On September 27th, the Commission discussed larger signs throughout the City including free
standing signs and building signs with consideration for the variability and parameters of these
signs in different areas and zoning districts. The Commission also discussed reorganizing the
ordinance by sign districts.
On October 11th, the Commission reviewed the organization of the ordinance by business sign
district rather than zoning district. The four distinct areas would be 1) The Village and the
businesses near the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Highway 9; 2) Quito Village and the
businesses near the intersection of Cox Avenue and Saratoga Avenue; 3) businesses near the
intersection of Prospect Avenue and Lawrence Expressway; and 4) businesses along Saratoga-
Sunnyvale Road.
On October 18th, the Commission continued to discuss and update the parameters (e.g., area and
height) for free standing signs and building signs in the four sign districts.
Over the next few months, the Commission will review and update the remainder of the code as
illustrated in the attached timeline.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, this item was properly posted as a City Council agenda
item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s website in advance of the
meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library each
Monday in advance of the Council meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Sign Ordinance Timeline