===== PDF PAGE 32 =====
[Extraction: OCR (rendered-page OCR)]
CITY OF WEST CHICAGO
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: TVA.
Zoning Text Amendment
Government Facility Signs FILE NUMBER:
Ordinance No. 24-0-0013 COMMITTEE AGENDA DATE: April 8, 2024
COUNCIL AGENDA DATE: April 15, 2024
STAFF REVIEW: Tom Dabareiner, AICP SIGNATURE LZe>—
APPROVED BY CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Michael Guttman SIGNATURE
ITEM SUMMARY:
Signs that are used by Government Facilities are exempt from the requirement to obtain a sign permit.
These signs, however, are still subject to other signage regulations such as the total number of signs
permitted on a Government Facility property as well as the size of each individual sign. For example,
a Government Facility is limited to only one freestanding sign on a property. This can be problematic
given that signs for a Government Facility contain information that benefit the public and often require
multiple signs or signs that may require a larger area than what is permitted. For instance, a public
school may require more than one freestanding sign to provide information at various points on a
property. Current regulations, however, prohibit this from occurring. The City’s signage regulations are
effective at regulating commercial businesses, which use signage to advertise or promote services or
products of a business. Government uses, however, have different priorities than commercial entities
and are necessary to provide the public with important information.
Staff is therefore proposing a Zoning Text Amendment that would further exempt signs for a
Government Facility from the maximum number of signs and from the maximum size of an individual
sign. It is not uncommon for municipalities to exempt government signs from most sign regulations. Alll
signs would still be subject to visibility requirements to ensure vehicular and pedestrian sight lines are
not obstructed by any sign. Staff is also proposing an amendment to the definition of Government
Facility, which currently only mentions “units of government’, to include “public schools” to make clear
that public school signs are also exempt from certain sign regulations.
At the April 2" hearing, members of the Plan Commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend
approval of the proposed zoning text amendment with additional language that requires sign plans to
be submitted and reviewed by staff for compliance with Section 12.6 of the Zoning Code, which
regulates illumination levels, intersection visibility, and structural requirements of signs, though no
formal building permit would be required. This recommended language is in italics in the attached
draft ordinance under Section 2.
ACTION PROPOSED:
Discuss and recommend approval of the Zoning Text Amendment related to Government Facilities,
including the proposed language recommended by the members of the Plan Commission.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Development Committee members voted unanimously (6-0) in favor of exempting certain sign design
details from regulation for governmental facilities only.
Attachments: Draft Ordinance
PC Report