Ordinance 1846CITY OF ALAMEDA ORDINANCE NO. 1846
New Series
AMENDING THE ALA2MEDA MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING
CERTAIN SECTIONS OF AND ADDING CERTAIN SECTIONS TO
ARTICLE 4 -B OF CHAPTER 1, TITLE XI THEREOF, RELATING
TO REGULATION AND ABATEMENT OF NONCONFORMING
OFF - PREMISE OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ALAMEDA that:
Sec tion 1 Regulation and Abatement of Nonconforming Premise outdoor Outdoor Advertising Sigyrs. Findings_ The City Council
of the City of .Alameda hereby finds and determines ghat.
(a) The City of Alameda is principally a residential_
community located in a visually pleasing setting of both natural
land and seascapes and city skylines and possessing many
architecturally and historically interesting structures;
(b) The maintenance of the aesthetically pleasing visual
character of Alameda and its small town atmosphere are essential
to the maintenance of property values in Alameda;
(c) Off -- premise outdoor advertising signs detract from
the visual character of the City in one or more of the following
ways; (1) such signs are out of scale with the buildings to which
they are attached in height or overall size; (2) such signs may
obscure the architectural character of buildings to which they
are attached.or adjacent; (3) such signs may modify the skyline
or views of natural areas outside the City; (4) such signs may
fDrm an intrusive and distracting part of the visual makeup of
visually prominent places such as entrances to the City, inter-
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sections of prominent streets and transit stops; (5) such signs
may be visible from residential areas; and (6) such signs may be
grouped so that they form a visual barrier;
(d) To the extent that these signs so detract from the
character of the City, such signs reduce property values in the
City;
(e) These signs often compete with traffic signals and
signs, informational signs and on- premise signs for the attention
of motorists and pedestrians;
(f) Such competition tends to obscure the function of
the area as a shopping area or particular retail. outlet;
(g) These signs, when part of a visual backdrop to a
traffic signal or sign, obscure the traffic signal or sign;
(h) There are excessive concentrations of these signs in
some locations; and
(i) All of these signs are excessive in size.
Section 2 . The Alameda municipal Code is hereby amended by
amending Subsection (b) of Section 11 -14B2, Subsections (a), (b)
and (c) of Section 11 -14B3, the Title of Section 11 -14BB, Section
11 -14B9 and Section 11 -14B10 thereof, to read-as follows:
Sec. 11 -14B2 Definitions
(b) " off- Premise"_ Sign Any sign identifying a use,
facility, service or product which is not located, sold, or
manufactured on the same premises as the sign or which
identifies a use, service or product by a brand name which,
although sold or manufactured on the premises, does not con-
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stitute the principal item for sale or manufactured on the
premises.
See. 11-1A Ty2es of Permitted by-Districts.
(a) Residential Districts. On-premise home occupa-
tion or identification, announcement or bulletin boards
and provided further, business name Plates, professional
signs shall be permitted in R-5 and R-6 Districts only.
(b) Administrative, Professional. On-premise business
name plate; professional signs.
(c) Commercial and industrial. in all commercial and
industrial districts signs shall be permitted as regulated
in Section 11-14B9 and Chapter 2, Title XII of this Code;
provided, however, no off-premise outdoor advertising sign
shall be permitted in any C-I District.
See. 11-14BB. ReaLAlation and Abatement of Outdoor
Advertising Dis2lay Signs. Purpose Intent.
Sec. 11-14B9. Regulation of off-Premise outdoor
Advertising Sig ns. off-premise outdoor advertising signs,
where permitted, shall not;
(a) Exceed twenty (20) square feet (as measured by
Sec. 11-14B4(a));
(b) Be located on the roof of a building;
(c) Be located within 1,000 feet of another off-
premise outdoor advertising sign;
(d) Be visible from a building or lot in a residential
district;
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(e) Be visible within 1,000 feet of any bridge, tunnel,
dock or boat ramp.
(f) Be located so that a motorist would view the sign
as adjacent to or behind a traffic signal or sign from a
distance of one hundred (100) feet or less from the signal
or sign;
(g) Be located on a route designated on the General
Plan as a scenic route;
(h) Be located on or adjacent to a building designated
by the Historical Advisory Commission as a building of
historical interest. In the case of applications for new
signs the Commission shall have forty -five (45) days to
render such a determination;
(i) Be located on or adjacent to a building designated
by the Design Review Board as a building of architectural.
interest. In the case of applications for new signs the
Board shall have forty -five (45) days to render such a de-
termination.
Sec. 11- 14B10 Abatement cf Nonconforming Signs
Any sign which does not conform, to the regulations of this
Article shall be removed by the owner or possessor thereof
within the period of time prescribed herein.
section 3 . The Alameda Municipal Code is,hereby amended
by adding Subsection (e) to Section 11 -14B11 and Subsection (1)
to Section 11 -14B13 thereof, to read as follows;
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Sec. 11-- 14B11 Abate Schedule
(e) one year shall be added to the applicable section
((a) through (d)) to compensate the owner for the cost of
removal.
Sec. 11- 14B13 Signs Exempt
(1) Temporary signs on behalf of candidates for
public office and for or against ballot measures.
Section 4 . Declaration of Intent in Re and to Previous
ordinances All prior ordinances regulating or prohibiting bill-
boards or off - premise outdoor advertising signs and establishing
nonconforming use are not superseded by this ordinance or any other.
ordinance for purposes of establishing the dates of nonconforming
use or periods of amortization. ordinance No. 1683 New Series does
not establish a new amortization period for signs regulated or
prohibited under earlier ordinances or alter the nonconforming
status of such signs.
Section 5. Severability if any section, subsection, sub -.
division, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance
or any part thereof is for any reason held to be unconstitutional,
such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining
portions of this ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council
hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection,
subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irre-
spective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections,
subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be de-
clared, unconstitutional.
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Section 6. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect
from and after the expiration of thirty (30) days from the date
of its final passage.
0 Pre 'ding Officer of the Council
2- 1
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0 :w Attest:
4- .
0 U City Clerk
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1, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance
was duly and regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of
A1almeda in regular meeting assembled on the 4th day of January, 1977,
by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmen Beckam, Diament, Hurwitz, Sherratt
and President Corica, (5).
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
the official seal of said City this 5th day of January, 1977.
Nty Clerk of the City of Alameda