Title
Ordinance Amending the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) - Update Section 30-14-7.3 and 30-7-8.11 - Gate City Boulevard and Pole Mounted Banners
Body
Department: Planning
Council District: All Districts
Public Hearing: January 19, 2016
Advertising Date/By: January 7 and 14, 2016 / City Clerk
Contact 1 and Phone: Mike Kirkman at 373-4649
Contact 2 and Phone: Sue Schwartz at 373-2149
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this LDO text amendment is to replace references to High Point Road, West Lee Street and East Lee Street with Gate City Boulevard and to expands areas where pole mounted banners are permitted. The City Council is requested to hold a public hearing on this amendment and to consider its approval.
BACKGROUND:
On November 11, 2013, City Council changed the name of East Lee Street, West Lee Street and High Point Road to East Gate City Boulevard and West Gate City Boulevard from I-40 / I-85 to Groometown Road. This name change was effective on July 1, 2015.
Section 30-7-8.11 of the Land Development Ordinance established a Visual Corridor Overlay District along East Lee Street from O. Henry Boulevard eastward to the edge of the City Limits. Section 30-14-7.3 of the Land Development Ordinance currently permits pole mounted banners along certain portions of Lee Street and High Point Road. This proposed amendment will reflect in both sections the change to the street name of Gate City Boulevard.
Section 30-7-8.11 currently limits pole mounted banners to three primary areas of the City (Downtown, the Greensboro Coliseum area and the East Market Street redevelopment area), along with streets adjacent to governmental facilities, colleges or university campuses or any city-initiated public improvement project.
Pole mounted banners are designed to enhance a particular area through unifying themes and designs that improve the overall feel and look of the area and are not designed to promote individual businesses or uses. As such individual commercial messages are limited to no more than 10% of the area of the banner and may include only business names, logos or trademarks. Pole mounted banners are also limited to a maximum 24 square feet in size.
This proposed text amendment will expand areas that allow pole mounted banners to streets located within designated reinvestment corridors as identified in the Comprehensive Plan. Reinvestment Corridors are older commercial corridors that would benefit from significant public and private investment to enhance their economic viability and strengthen adjacent neighborhoods. The amendment will also adjust the language allowing pole mounted banners along streets adjacent to any “public improvement project” to “streetscape improvement project”. These changes reflect the connection between existing or planned public roadway enhancements and the option to enhance the character of those areas through the installation of pole mounted banners.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The adoption of this ordinance to reflect the previously implemented roadway name change and to expand areas where pole mounted banners are allowed will have no budget impact. Some costs associated with the installation and maintenance of infrastructure for new pole mounted banners would be incurred at the time when new banners are installed.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
The Planning Board recommended this amendment at its December 16, 2015 meeting on a vote of 8-0. Staff recommends that City Council receive citizen comments and consider adoption of the proposed text amendment as proposed.
COMMITTEE ACTION: This item was referred to Council by the Infrastructure Committee.