ORD 95-14 SIGN CODEORDINANCE NO. 95-/4
AN ORDINANCE of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington,
relating to the City's sign code; amending sections 15.08.020H,
15.08.030F and 15.08. 140 of the Bainbfidge Island Municipal
Code.
WHEREAS, BIMC 15.08.030 exempts culturally, historically, or architecturally
significant signs from the permitting requirements of Chapter 15.08 BIMC; and
WHEREAS, under certain circumstances, alterations to culturally, historically or
architecturally significant signs should also be exempt from the requirements of Chapter 15.08
BIMC; and
WHEREAS, architecturally, culturally and historically significant signs should include
signs that serve a significant community function; now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASHINGTON,
DO ORDAIN as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph H of Section 15.08.020 is amended as follows:
"Culturally, historically, or architecturally significant sign" means a sign with
unique local characteristics and/or that serves a significant community function
which may not fit other defined categories.
Section 2. Paragraph F of section 15.08.030 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code
is amended to read as follows:
F,
Culturally, historically, or architecturally significant signs, existing at the time of
passage of this chapter and officially recognized by the City. Designation of
culturally, historically or architecturally significant signs will be adopted by
separate resolution;
Section 3. Section 15.08.140 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code is amended as
follows:
15.08. 140 Sign variance.
A. A variance is the mechanism by which the city may grant relief from the
provisions of this chapter where practical difficulty renders compliance with the
provisions of this chapter an unnecessary hardship and where the hardship is a result of
the physical characteristics of the subject property.
B. The variance procedures shall be administrative and determined by the director.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 15.08.050. proposed alterations to
culturally, historically. or architecturally significant signs designated as exempt under
section 15.08.030F which would result in the sign not conforming with the provisions
of this chapter shall be reviewed under the administrative variance procedures. In order
for the variance for the alteration to be approved. the proposed alteration must meet the
following criteria:
1_.. The alteration must not increase the sign's non-conformance with this
chapter.
2._,. The applicant must clearly demonstrate that the sign serves a significant
community function: and
3_=. Physical characteristics of the subject property
difficulties must render compliance with the provisions
unnecessary hardship.
or other practical
of this chapter an
Section 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect five days from and after its
passage, approval, and publication as required by law.
PASSED by the City Council this 6th day of Apr~ '1
APPROVED by the Mayor this 7th day of April
c,7'\ iCD.-' d
Mayor Janet K. West
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATE:
City Clerk
,1995.
,1995.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
PUBLISHED: 4-12-95
/4-6-95
EFFECTIVE DATE: 4-17-95
ORDINANCE NO.: ci ~-/,-/
OPTIONS:
1. Adopt the Resolution designating specific signs as culturally, historically, and architecturally
significant and adopt the ordinance amending the definition, variance and exemption sections
of BIMC 15.08, the Sign Code.
2. Ask the Land Use Committee to consider additional changes to the resolution and/or the
Ordinance.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
1. Move to adopt Resolution 95 - designating certain signs on Balnbridge Island as culturally,
historically or architecturally significant.
2. Move to adopt Ordinance 95- amending sections 15.08.020.H, 15.08.030.F., and
15.08.140 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code relating to the definition of culturally,
historically or architecturally significant signs; sign not requiring a permit; and sign variances.
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
March 22, 1995
MAYOR WEST AND
COUNCILMEMBERS
STEPHANIE WARREN, DIRECTOR
PLANNING AND COMMUNITy DEVELOPMENT
ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION RELATING TO CHANGES IN THE
SIGN CODE FOR CULTURALLy, HISTORICALLy AND
ARCHITECTURALLy SIGNIFICANT SIGNS
BACKGROUND:
BIMC Section 15.08.030 F. the Sign Code ,adopted in September, 1993, directed the City to
adopt criteria and procedures for designating culturally, historically or architecturally significant
signs by separate resolution. In developing this resolution, the Land Use Committee ( LUC ),
after reviewing other sign ordinances most of which deal primarily with historic signs and
looking at signs throughout the Is and, determined that it would extremely difficult to develop
criteria for the variety of signs on Bainbridge Island that might be considered culturally,
historically or architecturally significant. Since there were not a large number of signs that
should be considered for designation, they decided to just list the signs in a resolution. This
approach required an amendment to BIMC 15.08.030 to remove the references to procedures
and criteria.
The LUC also recognized that ahnost all of the signs being designated as historically, culturally
or architecturally significant also served a significant community function and wanted to
recognize that. Therefore, the definition of culturally, historically, or architecturally significant
sign ( BIMC 15.08.020 H.) has been changed to add the concept of significant community
function.
Finally, the LUC realized that it might be necessary to repair or alter these signs occasionally
to meet changing needs and/or to improve function and safety and many of these signs are non-
conforming. Therefore, they recommended adding a provision to the variance section ( BIMC
15.08.140 ) of the ordinance which would allow these signs to be modified provided the change
does not increase their non-conformance.