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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 2006 (746) AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON PERMANENT SIGNS ORDINANCE NO.7Lb ( 2006) The St. Croix County Board of Supervisors does ordain as follows: Section I. Authority This ordinance is enacted to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of St. Croix County as provided under Wisconsin Statutes § 59.69. Section II. Purpose St. Croix County is experiencing an increased demand for signs due to rapidly expanding growth and development, more advertising options along improved travel corridors, and advances in sign technologies. In 2006, 40 new signs were approved through the special exception process, more than were approved in the previous three years combined. Requests involving signs comprised approximately half of the Board of Adjustment's applications in 2006. All but two of the approved signs are located along the western edge of the County in the rapidly- growing towns of Troy, St. Joseph, Somerset, Star Prairie, New Richmond, and Warren. Of these, 17 signs were located along recently improved state travel corridors including Highway 35/64 between Houlton and New Richmond, State Highway 35 between River Falls and I -94, and Highway 65 near the City of New Richmond. All of these corridors are experiencing intense residential and commercial development that is expected to continue into the future. The existing sign regulations in the St. Croix County Zoning Ordinance are outdated and inadequate in addressing many of the issues raised by recent sign requests, including: • locational standards to preserve scenic beauty, rural character, and residential areas; • conditions under which certain types of signs may be allowed within each zoning district; • the appropriate number and total square footage of signs per property; • backlighting and pole signs; • building and fagade signs; • sign spacing; • structural safety and maintenance; • advanced sign design and technology; • sign abandonment; • subdivision signs; and • clear and concise permitting processes for permanent on- premises signs. Several of these rapidly - growing towns have expressed their concerns about the shortcomings of the existing sign regulations, and citizen surveys conducted across the County over the last few years are consistent with these concerns. The County needs to respond to these issues and revise the existing sign regulations to better protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of St. Croix County, specifically by: • Maintaining and enhancing the scenic views and rural character of the County. • Improving the safety of travelers by minimizing distractions, obstacles, and interference with directional and warning signs. • Protecting and enhancing the economic viability of the County by ensuring that it is an attractive area to visit or live. • Protecting property values and private and public investments in property. • Avoiding personal injury and property damage from structurally unsafe signs. • Providing businesses with effective opportunities for identification and advertising by reducing competing demands for visual attention. • Ensuring free speech and constitutional guarantees. 1 AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON PERMANENT SIGNS ORDINANCE NO. (2006) The Planning and Zoning Committee, staff, and several town officials have begun to study and evaluate these issues, but, due to the complexity of the issues, additional time is needed before proposals for amendments to County zoning regulations can be prepared and considered by the County Board. This moratorium is needed to allow time to complete studies, involve affected stakeholders, conduct public hearings and planning, and develop necessary ordinance amendments. The Board of Supervisors has concluded that issuance of approvals for new and enlarged permanent signs during the period of study and planning could preempt the purposes of these planning efforts and minimize their beneficial effects. Therefore, the Board of Supervisors finds that the studies, planning, and ordinances will not be effective unless a moratorium is imposed on the construction or enlargement of permanent on- premise or off - premise signs. At the present time, it is expected that the research, planning, and ordinance amendments can be completed in a six -month period. Section III. Applicability This ordinance shall apply to St. Croix County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 17 Zoning and govern lands in St. Croix County that are under the jurisdiction of the County Zoning Ordinance for a period of 6 months from the effective date of this ordinance, unless this ordinance is amended by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors. These lands are located in the Towns of Baldwin, Cylon, Eau Galle, Emerald, Erin Prairie, Glenwood, Hammond, Kinnickinnic, Pleasant Valley, Richmond, Rush River, St. Joseph, Somerset, Springfield, Stanton, Star Prairie, Troy, and Warren. Section IV. Scope of Regulations Except as hereinafter provided, while this ordinance is in effect: 1) No permanent on- premise or off - premise signs shall be constructed, erected, placed, or enlarged, nor shall any permit be issued by the County for the construction, erection, placement, or enlargement of any permanent on- premise or off - premise signs on any property within the jurisdiction of the County Zoning Ordinance as described in Section III. Applicability. 2) The Board of Adjustment shall not accept applications or grant special exception permits or variances for permanent on- premise or off - premise signs on lands under the jurisdiction of the County Zoning Ordinance as described in Section III. Applicability. Section V. Exceptions Section IV. Scope of Regulations shall not apply in the following instances, provided that the application qualifies and is in conformance with all other applicable ordinances and regulations of the County: 1) Where the County has approved, prior to the effective date of this ordinance, a land use permit or special exception permit for a proposed sign. 2) Maintenance and/or repair of any existing lawful signs, provided that such work does not enlarge or structurally alter the sign. 3) Political, construction site, and real estate signs as provided for in Subchapter VI, § 17.65(2) of the St. Croix County Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17. 4) Other temporary on- premises signs shall only be allowed with a County land use permit and shall be subject to the following standards: • One sign shall be allowed on the property. • No sign shall exceed 32 square feet in size, with a maximum height of 12 feet. • No sign shall be illuminated or contain any electronic components or messages. • Any sign shall be setback a minimum of 10 feet from any lot line. 2 ' AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON PERMANENT SIGNS ORDINANCE NO. (2006) • No signs shall be erected or maintained upon trees, rocks, or other natural features, or painted upon or attached to trucks, trailers, other vehicles, or parts thereof, and more or less permanently parked for purposes of visual display. • All land use permits for temporary signs shall expire 45 days after this ordinance expires. • All temporary signs authorized by this ordinance shall be removed or brought into compliance with the amended sign regulations in the Zoning Ordinance. • Applications to bring a temporary sign into compliance or replace a temporary sign shall be filed within 45 days of the adoption of the amendments to the sign regulations in the Zoning Ordinance. Section VI. Penalties Any person, corporation or other entity who violates the provisions of this ordinance shall be subject to civil forfeitures and injunctions as provided by § 17.71 of the St. Croix County Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17. Section VII. Severability A finding of invalidity for any word or section of this ordinance shall not affect the applicability of any remaining words or sections which can be applied without reference to the invalid word or section. Section VIII. Effective Date This ordinance shall become effective on January 1, 2007 and be in effect until June 30, 2007, unless extended by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors. Offered by the Planning and Zoning Committee on December 19, 2006. YES NO ABSTAIN ABSENT SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE f ❑ ❑ ❑ Wallace Habhegger r ❑ ❑ ❑ Lois Bum ❑ ❑ ❑ Stan Krueger ❑ ❑ ❑ Eu ene Ruetz X t Q ❑ ❑ ❑ Ronald Troyer ertacted This ResidafimmmKidapted by the St. Croix County Board Reviewed by corporation Counsel on of Supervisor on /02 14 -6 �v Greg Timmerman, Corporation Counsel Cindy Campbell, ounty Clerk STATE OF WISCONSIN COUNTY OF ST. CROIX I, Cindy Campbell, St. Croix County Clerk, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the egoing Is a true and qp rrect py o �1YGutia��e ��l� 3Oo� adopted by the County oard of Supervisors at their mesting.held c 3 Cindy Campbell, St. Croix County Clerk