G-10-08-26-9B1 - 8/26/2010ORDINANCE NO. Cf -'10 '( "2j —
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 3, SECTION 3.1403 CODE OF
ORDINANCES (1995 EDITION), CITY OF ROUND ROCK, TEXAS, TO
PROVIDE FOR ELECTRONIC MESSAGING CENTERS ON
MONUMENT SIGNS; AND PROVIDING FOR A SAVINGS CLAUSE
AND REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK,
TEXAS:
I.
That Chapter 3, Section 3.1403, Subsection (1), Code of Ordinances (1995 Edition), City
of Round Rock, Texas, is hereby amended to read as follows:
3.1403 BUSINESS USES SIGNS
(1) Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, certain terms and words are hereby defined.
Terms not defined herein shall be construed in accordance with Chapter 11, Zoning and
other Codes and ordinances or their customary usage.
(a) Animated Sign. Any sign that uses movement or change of lighting to depict
action or motion.
(b) Banner. Any sign printed or displayed upon cloth or other flexible material, with
or without frames.
(c)
Building. A structure built, maintained, or intended for use for the shelter or
enclosure of persons, animals or property of any kind.
(d) Business Use. Land uses classified by the Zoning Ordinance as commercial or
industrial, including churches, schools, and multi -family projects, but not
customary home occupations.
(e) Changeable Copy Sign. A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or
illustrations that can be changed or rearranged.
(f) Cluster Sign Site. A tract of land located in a Large Center on a Frontage Road
and limited to use for a sign cluster and the associated landscaping.
(g)
Electronic Messaging Center (EMC). A sign or portion thereof composed of an
array of lights which can be programmed to provide a message in text through
electronic means.
(h) Free Standing Sign. Any sign which is attached to or part of a completely self-
supporting structure. The supporting structure shall be firmly in or below the
0:\wdox\SCC1nts\0112\1005\MUNICIPAL\00200880.DOC/rmc
ground surface and not attached to any building or other structure, whether
portable or stationary.
(i) Freeway. Any highway that contains frontage roads.
(j) Frontage Road. The set of lanes on either side of a Freeway, which parallel the
Freeway center lanes and provide access to abutting properties.
(k) Fuel Outlet. A business use where gasoline or other type of fuel for motor
vehicles is pumped for sale.
(1) Gross Floor Area. The total area in square feet of all floors of a building,
measured from the exterior walls.
(m) Large Center. A lot or group of adjacent lots in the same subdivision consisting
of three (3) acres of land or more and containing commercial or industrial land
uses.
(n) Lot. A single, legally created parcel of land intended as a unit for transfer of
ownership or for development that is occupied by one building or use and the
accessory buildings or uses customarily incident to it, and having frontage on a
dedicated street. Lot includes the word "plot" or "parcel".
(o) Monument Sign. Any sign which is separate from buildings and the entire bottom
of which is in contact with or in close proximity to the ground.
(p) Pole Mounted Banner. Shall mean a sign mounted on a vertical light pole.
(q) Pole Sign. Any sign that is supported by a pole or poles, said pole or poles being
separate from buildings.
(r) Sign. Any device or surface on which letters, numbers, illustrations, designs,
figures, or other symbols are painted, printed, stamped, raised, projected or in
any manner outlined or attached and is used for the purposes of advertisement,
announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, identification or expression.
(s) Sign Area. Surface or face of a sign used for the purpose of communicating
information to the public. As specified in Table 3.1403, this measurement is
expressed as a square footage amount authorized to each sign face. The sign area
shall be computed by means of the smallest polygon or circle or combination
thereof that will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, representation,
emblem or other display and is contained within the respective sign cabinet.
(t) Sign Cabinet. The structure or border used to differentiate a sign face from the
structure against which a sign face is placed.
(u) Sign Structure. The portion of the sign which provides the support and frame for
the Sign Cabinet and Sign Area(s). Includes the base, cap and border of the sign.
(v) Small Center. A lot or lots consisting of fewer than three (3) acres of land and
containing authorized business uses.
(w) Spacing. The distance required between signs of the same category or, between
Large Center and Small Center Signs on Frontage Roads.
(x) Standard Roadway. Any public street or highway that is not a freeway.
(y) Tenancy. A Small Center containing more than one (1) business.
II.
That Chapter 3, Section 3.1403, Code of Ordinances (1995 Edition), City of Round Rock,
Texas, is hereby amended to add Subsection (4.1) which shall read as follows:
3.1403 BUSINESS USE SIGNS
(4.1) Monument Signs with an Electronic Messaging Center ("EMC"). These signs shall be
permitted according to the following regulations:
(a) The parcel of land upon which the sign is located is:
1. a minimum of one acre in area;
2. adjacent to an arterial roadway, as identified in the City's current
Transportation Plan; and
3. within a C-1 (General Commercial) or a C -la (General Commercial —
Limited) zoning district; but not located within the Downtown Master
Plan area, or on parcels with a Chisholm Trail Overlay, a Palm Valley
Overlay, or a Historic Overlay zoning.
(b) A Monument Sign with an EMC shall be constructed according to the following
specifications:
1. the Sign Structure shall not exceed 10 feet in height, with a maximum
Sign Area of 70 square feet;
2. the Sign Structure shall not exceed 120 square feet in total area;
3. the Sign Structure shall include a stone or brick base with a minimum of
two feet (2') between the ground and the Sign Area;
4. the Sign Structure shall be constructed of masonry, metal or other
durable material as approved by the Development Services Office
Manager;
5. the area of the EMC shall not exceed one-third (1/3) of the total Sign
Area, as permitted herein, or 20 square feet, whichever is less;
6. the EMC shall be recessed from or flush with the Sign Area; and
7. the Sign Area, including the EMC, shall not exceed 60% of the area of
the Sign Structure, providing a border on all four sides of the Sign
Area(s).
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III.
A. All ordinances, parts of ordinances, or resolutions in conflict herewith are
expressly repealed.
B. The invalidity of any section or provision of this ordinance shall not invalidate
other sections or provisions thereof.
C. The City Council hereby finds and declares that written notice of the date, hour,
place and subject of the meeting at which this Ordinance was adopted was posted and that such
meeting was open to the public as required by law at all times during which this Ordinance and
the subject matter hereof were discussed, considered and formally acted upon, all as required by
the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code, as amended.
Alternative 1.
By motion duly made, seconded and passed with an affirmative vote of all the Council
members present, the requirement for reading this ordinance on two separate days was dispensed
with.
ii
READ, PASSED, and ADOPTED on first reading this 2 day of
Alternative 2.
2010.
, 2010.
READ and APPROVED on first reading this the day of
READ, APPROVED and ADOPTED on second reading this the day of
, 2010.
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ATTEST:
SARA L. WHITE, City Secretary
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ALAN MCGRAW, Mayor
City of Round Rock, Texas
ROUND ROCK, TEXAS
PURPOSE PASSION. PROSPERITY
City Council Agenda Summary Sheet
Agenda Item No. 9B1.
Agenda Caption:
Consider an ordinance amending Chapter 3, Section 3.1403 Business Use Signs, Code of
Ordinances, to provide for electronic messaging centers on monument signs for some
commercially zoned lots. (First Reading)
Meeting Date: August 26, 2010
Department: Planning and Community Development
Staff Person making presentation: Jim Stendebach
Planning and Community Development Director
Item Summary:
The use of electronic messaging is currently prohibited on monument signs, with the exception of fuel outlets which
are allowed to post fuel prices on up to one-half of their allowed sign area. Recent improvements in the technology
for electronic messaging allow for the integration of this type of sign into monument signs as long as specific
limitations are applied.
The proposed revisions to the Sign Code would allow for electronic messaging to be incorporated into monument
signs on C-1 (General Commercial) and C -la (General Commercial — Limited) Tots of one acre or greater which are
located on arterial roadways. The sign structure may not exceed 10 feet in height with a total of 70 square feet of
sign area, as compared to a monument sign without electronic messaging which is limited to 5 feet in height and 50
square feet of sign area. The sign must be constructed of masonry or metal, with a 2 -foot high masonry base. The
electronic messaging area is limited to one-third of the total sign area or 20 square feet, whichever is less.
An update to the Sign Code is being developed and these regulations have been designed to anticipate the expected
updates for electronic messaging.
Strategic Plan Relevance:
Cost: N/A
Source of Funds: N/A
Date of Public Hearing (if required): N/A
Recommended Action: Approval