900 Sign Amendment CITY OF YELM
ORDINANCE NO. 900
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 15.24 YELM MUNICIPAL
CODE REGULATING SIGNS
WHEREAS, Yelm Municipal Code Chapter 15.24 intent is to provide minimum
standards to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare by regulating the
number, size of sign design of all signs; and
WHEREAS, residential directional signs result in an undue burden on City staff in
the maintenance of right of way irrigation systems; and
WHEREAS, the Yelm Sign Code does not regulate the design of the residential
directional signs; and
WHEREAS, the Yelm Sign Code does permit City directional locator signs for
master planned communities and major subdivisions, City directional locator signs are
not permitted.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE YELM CITY COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 15.24.020 Yelm Municipal Code is amended to add definitions of
major subdivisions, residential directional "open house" signs, and sandwich boards, as
follows:
"Maior Subdivision" means a subdivision with 25 or more lots reauired to have a
connection to a neiahborhood connector aursuant to Section 16.16.060.YMC.
"Residential directional "open house" sian" means anv sian meetina the definition of
Sandwich Board Sians with a sian face not areater then 6 feet sauare.
"Sandwich Board Sian" means anv sian on a self supaortina A-Frame. not reauirin
attachment or around aenetration for anv means of supaort.
Section 2. Section 15.24.070 Yelm Municipal Code is amended, as follows:
15.24.070 Exemptions.
The following signs do not require a sign permit, nor shall the area and number of
such signs be included in the area and number of signs permitted for any site or use.
This shall not be construed as relieving the owner of the sign from the responsibility
of its erection and maintenance and its compliance with the provisions of this
chapter or any other law or ordinance
A. The flag, emblem or insignia of a nation or other governmental unit or nonprofit
organization subject to the guidelines concerning their use set forth by the
government or organization which they represent.
B. Memorial signs or tablets, names of building, stained glass windows and dates
of erection when cut into the surFace or the facade of the building or when
projecting not more than two inches.
C. Traffic or other municipal signs, signs required by law or emergency, railroad
crossing signs, legal notices, and any temporary, or nonadvertising signs as
may be authorized by the city council.
D. Signs of public utility companies indicating danger or which serve as an aid to
public safety or which show the location of underground facilities or of public
telephones
E. Flush-mounted wall signs, used to identify the name and address of the
occupant for each dwelling provided the sign does not exceed two square feet
in sign area
F. Signs located in the interior of any building or within an enclosed lobby or court
of any building or group of buildings, which signs are designed and located to
be viewed exclusively by patrons of such use or uses
G. One bulletin board not over 50 square feet in sign area for each public,
charitable or religious institution where the same are located on the premises of
said institution. An off site Sandwich Board Sian mav be used as a directional
sian durina reaular scheduled meetinas or services. All other sians shall be
subiect to saecial events Section 15.24.090 (C).
H. Decorations. Such signs in the nature of decoration, clearly incidental and
customary and commonly associated with any national, local or religious
holiday
I. Painting, repainting or cleaning of an advertising structure or the changing of
the advertising copy of inessage thereon shall not be considered an erection or
alteration which requires a sign permit unless a structural change is made
J. Sculptures, fountains, mosaics and design features which do not incorporate
advertising or identification
K. "No tres assin ""no dum in ""no arkin rivate," si ns identi in
p 9, p~ 9, p 9, P 9 J
essential public needs such as restrooms, entrance, exit, and telephone and
other informational warning signs, which do not exceed two square feet in
surFace area
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Citv Directional Locator Sians.
Section 3. Section 15.24.197 Yelm Municipal Code is amended, as follows:
15.24.197 -Community Signs
q. Sians may be installed by
the Yelm Chamber of Commerce on property owned by a civic organization or
the City of Yelm or on property subject to an easement benefiting the Chamber
of Commerce. The sign shall be limited to 12 square feet if a freestanding sign
less than eight feet in height and 21 square feet if a monument sign.
; ,
~B. Signs located on the outfield fences of baseball fields owned and operated by
civic organizations are allowed; provided, that such signs are primarily oriented
towards the ball field and are not intended to advertise off-site.
BC. City directional locator signs of a standard design and installed by the city of
Yelm shall be allowed in the public street rights-of-way. Directional locator signs
may be installed to direct traffic to:
1. Municipal buildings and services.
2. Community buildings and services.
3. Master planned communities or maior subdivisions.
PASSED by the City C nc6~ of Yelm this 9th day of December, 2008.
.~r ~ ~
~
Ron Hardin ayor
ATTEST:
~
Jan' e A Schnepf, City CI
PUBLISHED: Nisqually Valley News, December 19, 2008
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 24, 2008