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City of Fayetteville

Planning Commission

Regular Meeting

January 19th, 2010

Report: Angie Hedgepeth

Governmental Affairs Consultant FRAR/HBAF

Commissioners Present:

Jim Smith – Chair

Mark Ledger – Vice Chair

Tom Speight

Bill Snuggs

Mary Lavoie

Charles Astrike

Ronald Michael

Jack Cox

What Happened: The following agenda items were discussed.

Proposed Changes to the Notification Area for Zoning Cases – The city staff is recommending that the rezoning notice area for a piece of property be dropped back to 500 feet versus the current 750 foot radius. The main reasons are cost and manpower savings with minimal impact on community awareness. Charles Astrike made a motion to revert back to the 500 feet notice area. The motion PASSED unanimously.

What Was Said:

Craig Harmon (City Planner) – “We don’t see a significant payback with 750.”

Charles Astrike – “We tried to fix something that wasn’t broke.”

Sign Ordinance – The following information comes directly from Karen Hilton’s (Planning and Zoning Division Manager) Memo to the Commission.

Regretfully, staff has had limited opportunity to refine specific standards or to recopy previous materials. Some additional specifics will be present at the meeting. The following is a short recap of major changes previously discussed. The primary approaches that have been discussed are.

1a. Prohibit new pose signs, relying on ground/monument and wall signs, or

1b. Reduce the size, number, and height of pole signs

2. Reduce the size and number of ground/monument signs

3. Do not allow both pole and ground/monument signs for a development or site

4. Reduce the number of temporary signs for special events and require deposits

5. *Increasing the area allowed for wall signs

a. when no pole or ground sign is provided/allowed

b. for buildings more than 3 stories

David Steinmetz (Inspections) gave a power point of Ramsey Street and pointed out the various sizes of signs on Ramsey. At the end of the discussion Mark Ledger made a motion to suspend the Sign Ordinance discussions until the Planning Commission recommends the Unified Development Ordinance to the City Council. Commissioner Bill Snuggs seconded and the motion PASSED. Mary Lavoie voted in opposition.

What Was Said:

City Attorney – “Amortization does need to comply with the cost of the sign.”

Jack Cox – “Do we have signs that we give special permission to stay up? What about the Northwood Temple sign? Is it conforming?”

David Steinmetz – “We give special permission for the Tallywood sign and yes the Northwood sign is conforming.”

Cox – “Except for the rotation of the lights.”

Jim Smith – “He is at the Department of Transportation limits.”

Smith – “We hear a lot about Cary. I was riding through Apex from Highway 64 to Avent Ferry and there was not one pole sign. We should have no more pole signs from this point forward and attrition for everything else. Don’t mess with existing conforming and retrofitting is hard. The sign has become a crutch. I don’t think we use signs like we used to.”

Cox – “We are looking at February 16^th to review a draft. We haven’t come close. We’ve got to make a stand even if it’s something stupid.”

Tom Speight – “Let’s take a look at the Apex Ordinance.”

Mark Ledger – “I’m weary of all the detail. With the UDO and the heavy workload from the Advisory Committee it’s a lot to digest. We’ve covered a lot of territory and I think we are not going to be effective until after the UDO.”

Smith – “Give us time to look at the Apex Ordinance and a chance to look at what we need to include digital. Let’s slow it down and not try to fast tract it.”

What’s Next:

January 28^th – Unified Development Ordinance Advisory Committee - Wrap Up Meeting with the Advisory Committee