CITY OF HOMER

CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

City Manager/Planning

ORDINANCE 08-56

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, AMENDING HOMER CITY CODE 21.60 SIGN CODE TO INCLUDE THE TOWN CENTER DISTRICT AND CORRECTING TABLE 1 TO INCLUDE THE MARINE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

WHEREAS, Ordinance 07-52(A-2) created the Town Center District as a new zoning district; and

WHEREAS, The current sign regulations do not reflect the creation of the new district; and

WHEREAS, Sign regulations are one method of achieving the goals stated in the 1999 Comprehensive Plan Update to improve the attractiveness and usability of the business core to encourage use of the area; and

WHEREAS, In the recent Title 21 technical rewrite, the Marine Commercial Zone was left out of the key to Tables 1-3; and

WHEREAS, The Homer Advisory Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the matter at the meeting of September 17, 2008.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF HOMER ORDAINS:

Section 1. Homer City Code 21.60 Sign Code Table 1 is hereby amended to read as follows:

	KEY TO Tables 1 through 3
RR Rural Residential UR Urban Residential RO Residential Office INS Institutional Uses Permitted in Residential Zoning Districts (a) CBD Central Business District TC Town Center District		GBD Gateway Business District GC1 General Commercial 1 GC2 General Commercial 2 MC Marine Commercial IM Marine Industrial OSR Open Space Recreation PS Public Sign Uses Permit
P = Allowed without sign permit S = Allowed only with sign permit N = Not allowed PH = Allowed only upon approval by the Planning Commission after a public hearing.
For parenthetical references, e.g., "(a)," see notes following graphical portion of table.

Table 1

Sign Type

INS
(a)

CBD

GBD

GC1

GC2

OSR

Freestanding

Residential (b)

Other (b)

S (k)

Incidental (c)

P (d)

Building

Banner

Building Marker(e)

Identification (d)

Incidental (c)

P (f)

P (c)

Marquee (g)

Projecting (g)

Residential (b)

Roof

Roof, Integral

Suspended (g)

Temporary (h)

Wall

Window

Miscellaneous

Banner(c)

Flag (i)

Portable(j)

Notes to Table 1:

a. This column does not represent a zoning district. It applies to institutional uses permitted under the zoning code in the RR, UR and RO zoning districts. Institutional is defined as an established organization or corporation of a public, non-profit, or public safety/benefit nature, i.e., schools, churches, and hospitals.

b. No commercial message allowed on sign, except for a commercial message drawing attention to goods or services legally offered on the lot, except signs approved by the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and signs that meet the requirements of HCC § 21.60.092.

c. No commercial message of any kind allowed on sign if such message is legible from any location off the lot on which the sign is located.

d. Only address and name of occupant allowed on sign.

e. May include only building name, date of construction, or historical data on historic site; must be cut or etched into masonry, bronze, or similar material.

f. No commercial message of any kind allowed on sign.

g. If such a sign is suspended or projects above a public right-of-way, the issuance and continuation of a sign permit shall be conditioned on the sign owner obtaining and maintaining in force liability insurance for such a sign in such form and such amount as the City Planner may reasonably from time to time determine, provided that the amount of such liability insurance shall be at least $500,000 per occurrence per sign.

h. The conditions of HCC § 21.60.130 of this ordinance apply.

i. Flags of the United States, the state, the city, foreign nations having diplomatic relations with the United States and any other flag adopted or sanctioned by an elected legislative body of competent jurisdiction. These flags must be flown in accordance with protocol established by the Congress of the United States for the Stars and Stripes. Any flag not meeting any one or more of these conditions shall be considered a banner sign and shall be subject to regulations as such.

j. Permitted on the same terms as a temporary sign, in accordance with HCC § 21.60.130, except that it may be free standing.

k. The main entrance to a development in GBD may include one ground sign announcing the name of the development. Such sign shall consist of natural materials. Around the sign grass, flowers and shrubs shall be placed to provide color and visual interest. The sign must comply with applicable sign code requirements.

Section 2. Homer City Code 21.60 Sign Code Table 3 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Table 3. Permitted Sign Characteristics by Zoning District

INS(a)

CBD

GBD

GCI

GC2

OSR

PS(e)

Animated(b)

Changeable Copy (c)

Illumination

Internal

Illumination

External

Neon(d)

Notes to Table 3:

a. The INS column does not represent a zoning district. It applies to institutional uses permitted under the zoning code, in the RR, UR and RO zoning districts. Institutional is defined as an established organization or corporation of a public, non-profit, or public safety/benefit nature, i.e., schools, churches, and hospitals.

b. Animated signs may not be neon or change colors or exceed three square feet in area.

c. Changeable Copy signs must be wall or pole mounted, and may not be flashing.

d. Neon signs may not be flashing and may not exceed 32 square feet.

e. The PS column does not represent a zoning district. It applies to Public Signs permitted under the zoning code, in all zoning districts.

Section 3. This Ordinance is of a permanent and general character and shall be included in the City Code.

ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, this 8^th day of December, 2008.

_____________________________

JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR

ATTEST:

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

YES:

NO:

ABSTAIN:

ABSENT:

First Reading:

Public Hearing:

Second Reading:

Effective Date:

Reviewed and approved as to form:

__________________________ __________________________

Walt E. Wrede, City Manager Thomas F. Klinkner, City Attorney

Date: _____________________ Date: ____________________