Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors next week will discuss the adoption of its sign ordinance regarding banners, including several draft changes made over a series of meetings.
The draft ordinance amendment includes an emergency provision for temporary banners for businesses, with a limit of two banners per business, up to 60 square feet each, which would be allowed during a declared period of economic hard times.
The Supervisors Land Use Committee, made up Chairman Louis Boitano and Vice Chairman Richard Forster, recommended in January that the ordinance allow additional banners only in time of economic need, and to use the county Sales Use Tax bench mark of $1.25 million dollars as the indicator for when additional banners may be allowed. The committee also recommended having staff conduct a review of the ordinance six months after approval, a direction similarly given with approval of a temporary off-site directional sign ordinance allowance. That ordinance, referred to in the draft on banners, said that “a continued economic need shall be presumed to exist if the Amador County sales and use tax revenue is less than $1.25 million dollars.”
Another portion of the draft code to be considered Tuesday, April 24, is an amendment that would allow one permanent banner of 60 square feet for businesses that are advertising public services, such as the Feed Barn, which runs two nonprofit programs, for adopting cats and kittens, and Tri-County Wild Care, a certified wild animal rehabilitation service.
The ordinance amendment also makes it clear that only two total banners are allowed during declared periods of economic hard times, and the county code for regulation of banners remains in effect otherwise. That regular code allows one banner at any one time for a business, with a size limit of 25 square feet, and it can be displayed for a total duration of no more than 90 days in any calendar year. All regular banners must be “professionally maintained and attached by all four corners.”
The economic need banners also must be professionally made and maintained, and “faded, torn, falling down or poorly made banners shall be removed” or replaced.
Changes added to the draft at the last meeting also allow “for businesses in a group development” that “at least one banner must be attached to the building.” And for “stand-alone businesses banners can be attached to a building, existing structure, fence or retaining wall.” The banners are limited to Commercial and Manufacturing zones.
The final draft ordinance had additional minor changes made at the Supervisors’ April 10 meeting and the Board is expected to consider the draft ordinance for its first reading. The supervisors’ regular meeting is 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 24.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
