Compton City Zoning Code
§ 30-22.9
Billboard Overlay Zone B-O Zone.
[Ord. #2179, § 1]
a.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Zoning Code, off-site outdoor advertising displays shall be allowed in all B-O Zones, on any size parcel, whether public or private property, subject to the following criteria:
1.
The advertising display shall be included as part of a disposition and development agreement, owner participation agreement, lease agreement or other agreement ("City Agreement") with the City or the Compton Redevelopment Agency ("CRA") and the City Agreement contains performance, one time fee, or ongoing revenue provisions that allow the City or the CRA to undertake projects, programs, or other activities that improve the visual environment in a redevelopment project area.
2.
The advertising display shall be placed within the specified B-O Zone and within 660 feet from the edge of the right of way of a freeway.
3.
No advertising display shall be placed within 600 feet from another advertising display on the same side of any portion of a freeway. In addition to the spacing requirement, no more than five billboards shall be placed between Acacia Avenue and S. Wilmington Avenue on the north side of the freeway and no more than four billboards shall be placed on the south side of this freeway section. In addition to the spacing requirement, no more than four billboards shall be placed between S. Wilmington Avenue and Central Avenue on the north side of this freeway section and no more than four billboards shall be placed on the south side of this freeway section.
4.
Notwithstanding any other way to measure the sign height per the Zoning Code, the advertising structure shall not exceed the height of 60 feet as measured from either the finished grade under the sign or from the freeway grade, whichever is higher.
5.
No advertising structure shall have a facing that exceeds 672 square feet, but it shall allow extensions of up to two feet on the sides and 5.5 feet on the top, excluding base or apron supports and other structural members. This paragraph shall apply to each facing placed on an outdoor advertising structure. The advertising structure shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, circle, or combination thereof, which will encompass the entire advertisement and is made based on the height and the length but not the depth of the advertising copy.
6.
No advertising display may be placed that is so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of, or obscures any official traffic sign, device, or signal; nor shall any advertising display include or be illuminated by flashing, intermittent, or moving light; nor shall any advertising display cause beams or rays of light to be directed at the traveled ways if the light is of an intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of any driver, or to interfere with any driver's operation of a motor vehicle. This subsection does not prohibit properly maintained reader boards or LED displays that comply with State and Federal law and subsection 20-22.2 entitled Flashing, intermittent or moving light.
7.
Existing setback and yard requirements of the underlying commercial or industrial zone shall not be applicable to placement of any advertising structure. No minimum setback or yard requirements shall be applied to placement of an advertising display.
9.
Unless otherwise specified in this section, the general sign requirements set forth in the Business and Professions Code shall apply to plans and materials for and to design, construction, street address numbers, identification and maintenance of outdoor advertising displays approved under this section.
10.
No person shall place an off-site outdoor advertising structure without first having secured a Zoning Permit, a Sign Permit and a Building Permit.
(a)
A separate Building Permit shall be required for each advertising structure whether or not the advertising structure is proposed alone or as one of any number of advertising structures proposed to be placed on the same parcel, contiguous parcels, or any set of related or unrelated parcels that are the subject of a single development proposal.
(b)
At the discretion of the Director of Development Services, a separate Zoning Permit shall be issued for one advertising structure or a single Zoning Permit may be issued for any number of advertising structures proposed on the same parcel, contiguous parcels, or any set of related or unrelated parcels that are the subject of a single development proposal and equally compliant under all applicable Business and Professions Code requirements.
11.
No permit of any kind shall be issued for an advertising display without prior approval of the City Council.
(a)
An application for approval of a Zoning, Sign and Building Permit for an off-site advertising structure shall be filed with the City Council in accordance with the following provisions:
(1)
Any person who has an ownership, license or leasehold interest in the land parcel may file an application for approval of a Zoning and Building Permit for an off-site advertising structure. If submitted by the holder of a license or leasehold interest, the application must include a statement of consent to proceed with the proposed development executed by the holder of an ownership interest and acknowledged before a notary public for the state of California.
(2)
The application may request review of one or multiple advertising structures.
(3)
The application shall be accompanied by photos of all existing signage and accurate architectural renderings and elevations of proposed advertising structures, as well as a scaled plot plan and elevations showing the locations of all existing structures and improvements on the property, and the proposed advertising structure(s).
(4)
At the time of filing the application for permits, the applicant shall pay a filing fee in accordance with a City Council approved resolution. This fee shall be in addition to any other required fees for permits relative to development of the property and shall be for the purpose of defraying the costs associated with City review and action on the application.
(5)
Any permit issued shall be the property of the applicant.
b.
The City Council may act on the application directly or refer the application to the Planning Commission for review, recommendations or determination.
1.
Before approving any off-site advertising display permit application, the City Council, or the Planning Commission upon City Council referral, shall make the following determination concerning the parcel(s) for which permits are sought:
(a)
All existing and proposed advertising displays are appropriately scaled to the architectural character of all buildings and structures on the parcel;
(b)
All existing and proposed advertising displays result in a complementary enhancement to the architecture on the parcel;
(c)
All existing and proposed advertising displays result in a visually uncluttered appearance;
(d)
All existing and proposed advertising displays enhance commercial corridors and properties and do not obscure street views of public art, Council-designated historical buildings, or City Council-designated projects;
(e)
All existing and proposed advertising displays minimize potential traffic hazards;
(f)
All existing and proposed advertising displays are compliant with all applicable provisions of this Zoning Code, and Federal, State and local law relevant thereto.
(g)
Not including other financial conditions that the City Council may impose, all existing and proposed advertising displays must be conditioned on the removal of one existing poster panel billboard face 12 feet by 24 feet for every one double-faced 14 feet by 48 feet billboard built.
(h)
All existing and proposed advertising displays must be conditioned on the incorporation of landscaping that is acceptable to the City Council or by the Planning Commission if the Council refers the application thereto.
2.
The City Council, or the Planning Commission upon City Council referral, may impose additional conditions as are reasonably necessary to ensure the development is consistent with the General Plan, compatible with surrounding land use, meets the provisions and intent of this Zoning Code, minimizes potential traffic hazards, and otherwise protects the public health, safety and welfare.
3.
Without exception, every outdoor advertising display approved under this subsection shall be subject to the following express conditions and reservations:
(a)
If an advertising display is illuminated, any illumination shall not impair the vision of travelers on any adjacent highway, including the freeway. Illuminations shall be considered vision impairing when its brilliance exceeds the values set forth in section 21466.5 of the California Vehicle Code, or any successor statute or Caltrans regulation.
(b)
When an advertising display is defaced with graffiti, the display owner shall remove the graffiti within 48 hours after telephonic notice by City.
4.
The decision of the City Council shall be final and conclusive. If the City Council refers the application to the Planning Commission for determination, the decision of the Planning Commission shall be final, subject to applicant's right to appeal any decision of the Planning Commission to the City Council.
5.
Any proposed variance to this subsection shall be deemed a major variance and may be approved only if the City Council determines that each of the required findings set forth in this Zoning Code are met.
c.
All existing off-site outdoor advertising displays that have previously obtained required permits, and which remain in compliance with the terms and conditions of those permits but that are not in conformance with the provisions of this subsection shall become nonconforming uses. The owner of a conforming or a nonconforming outdoor advertising display may perform normal repairs and customary maintenance to such existing conforming or nonconforming advertising displays, including, but not limited to, changing the advertising message and adding an extension to the outside dimension of a facing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the installation of electronic readerboards shall only be allowed to be installed on billboards that are located within a B-O Zone.
d.
All off-site outdoor advertising displays approved under this subsection and existing nonconforming advertising displays may be relocated by mutual agreement between the display owner and the City Council on whatever terms are agreeable to both parties under the authority of California Business and Professions Code section 5412.
1.
Relocation as used in this subsection, includes removal of an advertising structure and construction of a new advertising structure to substitute for the advertising structure removed.
2.
The purpose of this subsection is to allow the City to continue to develop in a planned manner without expenditure of public funds while allowing the continued maintenance of private investment and a medium of public communication established in outdoor advertising.