Fiscal Note
No significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
Title
Creating Section 31.072 of the Madison General Ordinances to regulate signs on mixed-use residential buildings and residential uses in non-residential zoning districts; amending various sections to lower the height limit for awnings, canopy and projecting signs; amending Sec. 31.07 to lower the height of signs on walls and to make other changes; and amending other sections of Chapter 31 accordingly.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: Under the old zoning code, most mixed-use residential buildings were zoned PUD and a custom sign package was approved by the UDC under Sec. 31.13(4). Now, most mixed-use residential buildings will be in conventional zoning districts, not subject to UDC review, and entitled to signage "as of right" that may be more expansive than otherwise allowed in a residential district or approved by the UDC. For example, if a mixed-use building is located in a Group 2 district, the existing code allows wall signs at the 2nd story or higher and extra signs for buildings over 5 stories or with multiple tenants. This amendment accomplishes two things: (1) closes the loophole described above, and (2) creates an across-the-board height restriction for signs displayed on a building in a Group 2 zoning district to no higher than the window sill of the 2nd story or eighteen feet (18'), whichever is lower.
This ordinance amendment will close the "loophole" for mixed-use residential buildings and purely residential buildings located in non-residential zoning districts. This ordinance will apply to mixed-use buildings defined in Sec. 28.211 that include a residential use, as well as stand-alone residential uses located in a Group 2 or 3 zoning district. (The sign code organizes zoning districts into 3 groups for purposes of regulating signs. Group 1 is residential and most strict. Group 2 is in the middle and Group 3 is for traditional commercial and manufacturing type uses.)
Under new sec. 31.072, mixed-use and stand-alone residential buildings in non-residential areas may have Group 2 signs, but the height of any wall, canopy, or awning sign will be limited to the 1st story or 18 feet, whichever is lower. Projecting signs will be limited to the 2nd story or 30 feet, whichever is lower (compared to 3rd story in non-residential districts.) A single Building Entrance Identification sign of 12 square feet is allowed, per 31.15(2) (Table 2.) Buildings that include a residential use may also have a permanent Identification sign that provides rental information, this replaces temporary/unattractive real estate signage. The extra wall signs available to "large buildings" by Sec. 31.07(6) will not be allowed. Extra signs to identify vertical occupancies above the 1st story under Sec. 31.07(2)(a)2. will also not be allowed. Instead, all wall signs will have to be displayed at the 1st floor level (except 1 extra sign may be displayed on buildings over 5 stories high in Group 3 districts only.)
This ordinance does not change the method for measuring the size of wall signs, although the method for selecting signable area on an awning is being clarified. The height of any ground signs permitted for these types of uses will also be restricted to 6 feet.
This ordinance will change the rules for Comprehensive Design Review, so that process cannot be used to get around the new sign height restrictions in Group 2 and for mixed use / residential buildings.
Finally, this ordinance makes some formatting changes to Sec. 31.15(1) - Table 1 will now apply to Ground signs only.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Please see "Body" in Attachments.