Submitted By: Presented By:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN

joe Adkins, Deputy Director for Planning Date: 2/12/2018 joe Adkins, Deputy Director for Planning Gabrielle Collard, Div. Manager of Current Planning

Other Staff Present: Matt Davis, Div. Manager of Comprehensive Planning Carreanne Eyler, Office Manager jessica Murphy, Administrative Assistant

Meeting Dates

VVorkshop: 2/28/2018 Business Meeting: NA Public Meeting: NA

Agenda Item: To introduce future changes to the public notice signs that alert the public to pending development applications.

Background Information: Section 301 of the Land Management Code (LMC) establishes the public notice requirements for items subject to approval by Planning Division Staff, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and in certain instances, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. One of the requirements is the posting of the property with a placard/sign. For certain applications, posting is required at the beginning of the process, upon application, and then again in advance of the hearing to advise of that meeting. The City has long used the same style of signage and Staff now sees an opportunity to update the signs to increase communication, to incorporate new technology, and to reduce waste.

Public Information The placards used today have a large area dedicated to the project description. VVhile in some settings, this can provide valuable information to people passing by, more often than not, the sign is viewed from the window of an automobile traveling past the site at which point the black lettering of the description is indistinguishable from the writing printed on the sign. Accordingly, one of the goals in implementing new signs is to make the necessary information as eye catching as possible-using unique colors for each Commission/Board, a large printed letter identifying the reviewing body, and the contrast of white labels on a colored background will give travelers enough information that allow them to easily identify the project and to seek additional information.

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The new placards also contain a QR code that will provide immediate access to additional information. The QR code will be printed in the lower right hand corner. Using a cell phone camera that is internet ready, scanning the QR code will take users directly to the City's Development Database where applications can be sorted by project number, the commission/board that will review the application, or identified by its location. Project specific information including a digital copy of the plan, the case planners name and contact information, and a brief description of the project type will be available.

For those individuals without cell phones or who are less comfortable with the technology, the signs will still display in a clear and concise manner, contact information for the Planning Division, the application number and type of application, as well as the commission/board who will be reviewing it and when a hearing date is assigned.

Durability The existing placards are cardboard and do not hold up in adverse weather conditions. Rain and high winds knock down signs compromising the continuity of providing public notice and becoming litter. The new signs are a waterproof, tear proof, durable plastic material that will sustain more inclement weather when installed properly by applicants.

In terms of next steps, the proposal will be presented to the Mayor and Board at the upcoming workshop on February 21st. In order to implement the proposal, changes will need to be made to Section 301 of the LMC with regards to the content of the public notice. Staff will proceed with those changes and ordering the new signs. The necessary amendments will take several months, which will allow the supply of previously purchased signs to be exhausted. Prior to implementation, Staff plans to roll out the changes to the NACs and to create educational opportunities to make residents and business owners aware of the changes.

Committee Recommendations if Applicable: N / A

Fiscal Impact: The cost of public notice signs and the staff time to prepare them come out of the general operating budget of the Division. While applicants pay development application fees, these costs are not specifically accounted for in those fees, which also cover a variety of other administrative functions as well as review. Based on the improvements in durability described above, Staff anticipates having to prepare fewer replacement signs. In addition, certain aspects of the sign will be changeable copy allowing labels to be prepared as hearing dates are assigned, thereby avoiding new signs altogether. These increased efficiencies are in addition to the cost reduction from approximately $5.75 per sign to $3.05-$3.22 per sign that are anticipated with the new vendor.

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Recommendation: Staff believes that the new signs will be a positive change in notifying the public. The new signs have the advantage of being easier to see, allowing direct connection to the City's website and being more durable than the previous public notice signs.

No action is required by the Board at this time. Based on the feedback from the Board, Staff will move forward with implementation. This will require a text amendment to Section 301 of the LMC to address the new content of the signage as well as finalizing the sign design and updates to the development database and establishing and conducting a public outreach initiative to educate residents and property owners.

s~pporting DocumentatQ

DIrector: ______ ~---== ..... '__ __________ Date:

Concurrence Needed: Initials

D Legal: D Budget: D Finance: D Purchasing: D Public Works Operations: __ _ D Engineering: D Parks and Recreation: D Planning: D Police: D Human Resources: D Economic Development: D Other:

Date

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Email D D D D D D D D D D D D

Public Notice Signs

Mayor and Board Workshol)

Fcbru<l ry 21,2018

Goals

Increase communication and effectiveness

Promote involvement In Planning Division processes

Reduce wasle and save lime

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Sign Features Overview

2/15/2018

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Sign Features Color Coding for easy recognition- Each reviewin g authority w ill have a distinct sign with " unique color and large letter Indicating the Uoard/Commission.

Changeable copy bo~es will ililow project specific information to be " tided to c<1ch sign inclu(ling case number, ap plication type, and hearing date(s).

OR Code- Will provide a direcl link to the Ci ty's Development Database where more project information is available.

Co lor Coding Planning Commission

Zoning Boord of Appeals

Mayor and Board

I Historic Preserva tion

Interactive

lhe QR Cotleon Ihe &ICn ,.,,11 allow uSerS to SUn th e .;gn ~r,,1 directlv uce.s Ihe Develo ..... "n' D~tdb;ol" whe'e I"oj~ ... t, (m, I", ~' I cd bV lIo~"I/CO"''''(''i<I'' or ~Iecl"d I>y 1<!Jrd,lnR tCH ~ 1.",j« 1 ,,~"'c or by location on th.., "' lp. ror uth ,,"oJett, ~C(C\S 10 ~ u.gil ~1 CQj.yol the

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Benefits Modern- Provide direct links to the City website and development datab ase.

Simple- l ess text on the signs, color coding, and large bold IHinlletters will be visuall y. more eye-catching and provide I>crllnent information .

Heduced Waste - Stronger materia ls w ill reduce the need for rCI)lacemenl signs and IHeven! litter.

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Cost Savings- 60 th the s tronger mate rial and changeable copy lloxes will resull in fewer signs. neduction in Staff and Applicant time in posting signs and IHcparing and replacing signs.

Next Steps TeKt Amend ment- Section 301 of the LM C

I'ublic Outreach Pllnnin, Com,"I .. ion-1(lQ/2fJ13

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Order signs and star t implementation

2/15/2018

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