POLICY REPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING

Date: November 15, 2001
Author/Local: M. Gordon/873-7665

RTS No. 02415

CC File No. 113

Council: December 11, 2001

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Director of Current Planning
SUBJECT:	Minor Amendments to Sign By-law

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the Director of Current Planning be instructed to make application to amend Section 10.4 of the Sign By-law with respect to Canopy Signs, generally in accordance with Appendix A , and that the application be referred to a Public Hearing, and

FURTHER THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary amending by-law for consideration at Public Hearing.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council policy, as reflected in the Sign By-law is to regulate the type, size and location of signs in the city.

PURPOSE

This report recommends some minor amendments to the Sign By-law with respect to the location and spacing, and the area and dimensions of canopy signs.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

In the Sign By-law a canopy is defined as "a rigid, roof-like structure which is entirely supported from a building, which may be below the level of the main building roof line orwhich may provide an enclosed bulkhead thereto, and projects beyond the building face to provide weather protection".

Secondly, a canopy sign is defined as "a sign which is painted on, attached to, or constructed in or on the face of a canopy".

In Section 10.4 of the Sign By-law the number, location and spacing, height and clearance, and area and dimension of canopy signs are regulated. The current regulations do not permit the sign to exceed the vertical dimension of the canopy and restrict any projection to 400 mm (1.31 ft.).

To permit merchants and sign designers greater flexibility in the design and installation of canopy signs, staff recommend that:

· the restriction limiting the sign to the vertical dimensions of the face of the canopy be removed (the vertical dimension of the sign will not be able to exceed 1 m (3.28 ft.) except in the case of theatres and cinemas where the vertical dimension shall not exceed 1.5 m.(4.92 ft.));
· the sign be able to project up to 600 mm (1.97 ft.) from the face or structural element of a canopy; and,
· regulations be amended to clarify that the sign area is only calculated where there is a border or frame as some signs are made of freestanding neon elements and a sign area calculation is not possible.

CONCLUSION

Planning staff conclude that the proposed amendments to the Sign By-law will provide for greater flexibility in the design and location of canopy signs. Staff therefore recommend referral of the amendments to Public Hearing for approval.

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APPENDIX A

PROPOSED SIGN BY-LAW AMENDMENTS

The Sign By-law shall be amended as generally outlined below.

[All additions are shown in bold italics. Deletions are shown in strikeout.]

10.4 Canopy Signs

10.4.1 Number

One canopy sign only in respect of each frontage or separate entrance of any premises shall be permitted, may bear one canopy sign only but may not bear any canopy sign provided that no canopy sign shall be permitted unless 80% or more of the length of the canopy projects 1 m or more from the building which houses the premises.

10.4.2 Location and Spacing

A canopy sign may be located on any face of a canopy The face or structural elements of a canopy, but not the canopy roof, may bear a canopy sign but the canopy sign must and shall not project more than 600 400 mm from the face or structural elements of the canopy or within 600 mm of any curb line.

10.4.3 Height and Clearance

The clearance of a canopy sign must be at least shall be not less than 2.75 m.

10.4.4 Area and Dimension

(a) If a canopy sign has a frame, border, or background, the copy area of a canopy sign shall must not exceed 40% percent of the sign area.

(b) provided that the copy area of any sign located other than If a copy area is not on the front face of a canopy that copy area must shall not exceed the size of any copy area of any sign located that is on the front face of the canopy.

(cb) The vertical dimension of a canopy sign must shall not exceed 1 m except for canopies on in the case of theatres and cinemas where the vertical dimension must shall not exceed 1.5 m.

(dc) Despite Notwithstanding clause (cb) of subsection 10.4.4, the maximum permitted vertical dimension of a canopy sign may be increased increase to a maximum of 2 m except for canopies on or in the case of theatres and cinemas where the vertical dimension may increase to a maximum of 3 m but only, in each case, if provided that:

(i) any the portion or portions of the sign which exceed the maximum permitted vertical dimension set out in prescribed in clause (b) of subsection 10.4.4 will shall not in the aggregate exceed, in aggregate, 20 % of the horizontal dimension of the canopy; and

(ii) the vertical dimension of the sign shall not exceed the vertical dimension of any face of the canopy; and

(ii) no portion of the sign may shall project more than 1 m above any face of the canopy.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver