Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request by the City of McKinney to Amend Chapter 134 (Signs) of the Code of Ordinances
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Operational Excellence
(2C: Identify opportunities for internal efficiencies and continuous improvement to effect a high performing organizational culture)
MEETING DATE: March 16, 2021
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Aaron Bloxham, Planning Manager
Mitch Corona, CNU-A, Planner I
Jeff Harris, Chief Plans Examiner
Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Director of Planning
Rick Herzberger, Chief Building Official
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Staff recommends approval of the proposed sign code amendments.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• Staff proposes amendments to Chapter 134 (Signs) to update the city’s sign regulations and bring them into compliance with federal regulations. More detailed information about the specific amendments is below.
• Proposed Amendments:
o Remove content-based regulations. In order to align with state and federal law, which allows for the signs to be regulated on the basis time, place, and manner, the project team has made various changes throughout the ordinance. The changes include renaming sign types, revising definitions, and updating specific sign regulations;
o Revise the variance process. Staff is proposing amendments to provide clarity on the appeal process and to more appropriately allocate appeal requests. The proposed process will now send technical appeals to the Board of Adjustment (convening as the Sign Board), and any content-based appeals will be forwarded to the City Council. A clarification to the timeframe for which appeals may be filed is also being proposed.
o Revise the meritorious exception process. Staff is proposing updates to provide more administrative clarity and flexibility for the meritorious exception process. The changes now call for the Board of Adjustment (convening as the Sign Board) to review and consider meritorious exception request instead of City Council; and
o Reorganize the document and added graphics. As a way to improve the document and provide clarity, the team has reorganized Chapter 134 to improve usability and has also prepared graphics and tables that help provide clarification for the regulations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• As part of the New Code McKinney Initiative (development regulation overhaul), the project team hosted a number of internal and external meetings, interviews, and discussions related to the existing development regulations in McKinney and presented a Code Assessment Report in early 2020.
• Based on the feedback received, the Code Assessment Report identified several immediate areas of opportunity where amendments to the existing could be made in the short-term to improve the clarity, flexibility, usability, and implementation of the Code of Ordinances.
• The amendments proposed for consideration at tonight’s meeting are in response to these areas of opportunities within the Code Assessment Report, specifically related to signs.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
• n/a