Fiscal Note
There may be a small increase in General Fund revenues associated with application fees, but otherwise no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
Title
Amending Sections 31.03(2), 31.04(2)(b) and creating Section 32.04(2)(c) and (d) of the Madison General Ordinances to revise the procedure for the Urban Design Commission to conduct a Comprehensive Design Review for the approval of certain street graphics (signs) on private property, and creating a timeline and modifying the appeal process for UDC decisions under Chapter 31.
Body
DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: The purpose of this ordinance is to expand the UDC procedure known as Comprehensive Design Review, to allow broader approval authority for the UDC to recognize unique, exceptional and innovative sign designs.
Under the existing ordinance, an applicant for a sign permit that does not fit the standard criteria of the sign ordinance (ch. 31) can go to the Urban Design Commission for permission to install an unusual sign, but the UDC can only grant special allowances in height, area and setback of the sign.
Under the proposed ordinance, the UDC could approve special allowances for almost any sign on the zoning lot or building site in question, with no predetermined requirements. The majority of the restrictions of ch. 31 would not apply. (Some restrictions still apply. For example, Comprehensive Design Review cannot be used to approve a sign in the public right-of-way. See sec. 31.04(2)(c)2. in this draft for other restrictions that cannot be waived.) Instead, the UDC will create requirements for each sign reviewed as part of the Comprehensive Design Review, which will become an approved Comprehensive Sign Plan. The Comprehensive Sign Plan could also incorporate approvals from a list of specific variances that already exist in ch. 31, such as approving certain above-canopy graphics or signs that cross architectural detail. Once approved, changes cannot be made to the approved Sign Plan without ...
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