REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: July 10, 2023 Report No. DEV-23-030
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: James Davison, Manager of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Sign Regulation Bylaw Amendment
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council give first, second, and third readings to Sign Regulation Bylaw, 1996, No. 2252, Amendment Bylaw, 2023, No. 3083.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922
Zoning Bylaw, 1992, No. 2050
Local Government Act
Sign Regulation Bylaw, 1996, No. 2252
Development Application Procedures and Fees Bylaw, 2012, No. 2791
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Good Governance and Organizational Excellence
BACKGROUND:
Appendix A: Draft Sign Regulation Bylaw, 1995, No. 2252, Amendment Bylaw, 2023, No. 3083
Bylaws require amending from time to time to address specific issues as they arise, to correct errors or inconsistencies in the bylaw as they are discovered over time, to adapt to the contemporary needs and desires of the community, and to better align the bylaw with the Township’s other bylaws and policies. Staff are proposing the amendment of the Sign Regulation Bylaw for all these reasons.
ISSUES:
The significant proposed amendments to the Sign Regulation Bylaw are as follows:
(a) Rental Apartment Sign addition. These signs provide public wayfinding assistance, building identification for emergency vehicles, and a community service for the assistance in finding rental housing.
(b) Commercial Real Estate Sign addition. These signs permit commercial real estate companies to advertise large plots of land intended for industrial, commercial, or multifamily residential use. It permits the standard 4ft x 8ft sign posted at development sites. The addition of these signs is business-friendly, and at the same time provides more concrete guidance within the Township’s regulations for landowners and developers.
(c) The removal of the requirement of a Development Permit for signs. This will save staff time and is business-friendly with no anticipated drawback in terms of aesthetics.
Otherwise, the proposed amendment bylaw identifies some logical fixes and small errors/typos to be corrected. The details of the proposed amendments requiring explanation are as follows:
PART 2: DEFINITIONS
1. Consolidating the definitions for Billboard Sign and Third Party Advertising Sign under the Third Party Sign to cover all off-site advertising under one term. The Third Party Sign definition retains the existing Billboard Sign definition:
Third Party Sign means a Sign used or intended to be used for the purposes of advertising or calling attention to any person, matter, thing, event or property that is not directly related to the business conducted on the property on which it is located.
2. Creating a definition for a Rental Apartment Sign:
Rental Apartment Sign means a Sign which offers one or more Dwelling Units for rent or lease within a building containing at least five (5) rental Dwelling Units and contains contact information for the individual or company who is offering the Dwelling Unit for rent or lease.
3. Creating a definition for a Commercial Real Estate Sign, which would advertise the sale or lease of commercial or industrial land, or multifamily parcels where at least four dwelling units are being sold.
Commercial Real Estate Sign means any sign advertising the sale or lease of land or buildings for properties zoned for commercial or industrial use, or properties zoned for multiple family residential use where the Sign is advertising the sale of at four dwelling units on one parcel.
4. Removing Mural from the definition of Sign. Murals will no longer be considered Signs but may be subject to Form and Character Development Permit guidelines.
PART 5: SIGN PERMIT APPLICATIONS
5. The requirement for Signs to be subject to Development Permits is being removed through the deletion of Section 5.3.
6. Real Estate Signs within the Section 5.4 Sign Permit exemptions (standard small signs intended for the sale of individual units and exempt from Permit requirements) have been increased in sign area from 0.5 square meters to 1 square meter, and in height from 0.6 meters to 1.5 meters to reflect contemporary real estate sign dimensions.
PART 9: PERMITTED SIGNS
7. The regulations for the proposed Commercial Real Estate Signs are as follows:
9.5.1 Number Permitted
There shall not be more than one Commercial Real Estate Sign per street frontage.
9.5.2 Location
A Commercial Real Estate Sign must be placed or erected only on the property to which it relates (i.e. not on the road allowance or boulevard) and the top of such a Sign shall not exceed a height of 3.5 metres above the ground.
9.5.3 Sign Area and Dimensions
A Commercial Real Estate Sign shall be limited to a maximum Sign Area of 3.0 square metres.
9.5.4 Removal
A Commercial Real Estate Sign shall be removed within 15 days after the property to which it relates is sold, rented, leased, or otherwise removed from the market.
9.5.5 Illumination
A Commercial Real Estate Sign may not be externally illuminated or backlit.
8. The regulation for Fascia Sign is proposed to be amended to require that they are associated with a business in the building. Formerly there was no such requirement, and any building in any zone (including residential only) could have a fascia sign.
9.7.1 Location
A Fascia Sign may be located on any face of a building and must be associated with a business in the building.
9. The regulations for the proposed Rental Apartment Signs are as follows:
9.15.1 Number Permitted
There shall not be more than one Rental Apartment Sign per property.
9.15.2 Location
A Rental Apartment Sign may be placed or erected only on the property to which it relates (i.e. not on the road allowance or boulevard) and the top of such a Sign shall not exceed a height of 3.5 metres above Ground.
9.15.3 Sign Area and Dimensions
A Rental Apartment Sign shall be limited to a maximum Sign Area of 3.0 square metres.
9.15.4 Removal
Rental Apartment Signs may remain in place provided they are up to date with relevant vacancy and contact information for the owner and/or property manager.
9.15 .5 Illumination
A Rental Apartment Sign may not be externally illuminated or backlit.
10. The under-awning/under canopy sign within Section 9.16.3 was mistakenly listed as having a 450 metre maximum height; this was undoubtedly supposed to be 450 millimetres or 0.45 metres and staff has amended accordingly.
1. Rationale for Selected Option
The proposed amendments to the Sign Regulation Bylaw will result in better administration of the bylaw and result in sign regulations which better meet contemporary needs.
2. Organizational Implications
The proposed amendment bylaw will save staff time by not requiring Development Permits for Sign applications.
3. Financial Implications
The amended bylaw may save the Township money in the cases where application fees for Development Permits for Signs do not cover actual staff time spent on applications.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
The proposed amendment bylaw has no sustainability or environmental implications.
5. Communication & Engagement
The proposed amendment bylaw does not require communication or engagement. However, the proposed amendments have come from years of input from applicants and agencies interested in streamlining the sign applications process.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council give three readings to Amendment Bylaw No. 3083.
2. That Council request additional information in advance of giving bylaw readings.
3. That Council defeat Amendment Bylaw No. 3083.