CCMIN060292 - Laserfiche WebLink

68 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item 6a ADDlication to amend Section 18.74,120 of the Municipal Code to allow on Main Street retention of certain non-conforminq signs which have attained an "historical" or landmark significance and to allow directly illuminate projectinq signs on Main Street. (SR92:229) Mr. Roush indicated that Mayor Mercer and Mr. Butler could participate in this item because the Ordinance was of general application. The conflict would arise on a specific application. Mr. Mercer declared the public hearing open on the application. Bob Philcox, 749 Main Street, Community First National Bank, appeared to answer questions that Council might have. There were none. There being no further testimony, Mr. Mercer declared the public hearing closed. Mr. Butler stated that this ordinance came from his previous suggestion. He believed that a variance was an inappropriate way to handle the request of the Bank. He felt that some downtown signs should qualify to be retained even though they did not fit the current sign guidelines. The staff report presented this evening carried this concept forward. He therefore, agreed with the staff recommendations. Ms. Mohr commented that this amendment would give flexibility. She liked the idea that Council could' pick and choose what was appropriate yet did not mandate that it has to allow the signs. She too agreed with staff recommendations. Mr. Tarver was concerned with the wording because it reads that if a sign had been at a business for 15 years or more it automatically gets landmark status. Ms. Scribner commented that the Downtown Task Force had reviewed the existing sign ordinance and felt that there were some issues to be looked at again. It basically endorsed the existing ordinance that prohibits pole signs in the Downtown. The Task Force recommended that the existing sign ordinance remain the same. She agreed with numbers one and two of staff's proposed criteria but did not agree with number three. Mayor Mercer stated that many businesses change their signs. He believed that the signs are used to help people find the businesses and not for the history of the community. He felt that pole signs bring creativity to some locations. 6/2/92 14