Planning Commission weighs the impact of signs
Edy Schwartz, Moraga Chamber of Commerce activist, and Steve Woehleke, the newest appointee to the Moraga Planning Commission, agree that the way signage is regulated in a town can have a huge impact on its look and define its character. Both were at the March 3 meeting of the Planning Commission when associate planner Ella Samonsky presented her proposal to amend the town's signage rules. No decisions were made that night; residents will have an opportunity to weigh in and let the town know whether they want a lot of vibrant neon or a more subdued, Carmel-like look for Moraga.
"Our regulation sets rules based on content; it is complicated and needs to be streamlined; and it needs to be clarified so applicants understand what is applicable in the town of Moraga," explained Samonsky. The process to update the Moraga Sign Ordinance began seven years ago and was stopped by 1st Amendment considerations: a sign ordinance should not address the content of a sign - what it says - as a basis for regulation, which could be considered discriminatory. Samonsky constructed a draft of an ordinance that is content neutral and takes several components into consideration: time - is it a permanent or non-permanent sign; manner - is the sign on a wall, in a window, or free standing; and place - will the sign be in a residential area, open space, or commercial district? It proposes that some signs be approved administratively (by staff), while others will need a hearing before the Design Review Board.
"Signs that are illuminated from the inside should continue to be reviewed by the Design Review Board," stated Samonsky. She also introduced novelties, such as non-permanent signs (A-frames) that would be allowed on the premises, one per business. "What do you define as the premises in a shopping center?" asked commissioner Christine Kuckuk who was concerned with what the scenic corridors could look like if all businesses in the shopping center started lining A-frames along the road.
The discussion of how the visual character of the town could be impacted by new sign policies started at that point. Commissioner Tom Marnane, who recalled his own experience setting appropriate signs, thought a professional eye was needed and wondered if the town had such a specialist.
Commissioner Woehleke, who has served on both the Design Review Board and Planning Commission in the past, expressed the most concern about the look signs could give a town. "I hope we all look at this as helping to define the town character," he said. "What you see in Portola Valley and what you see in other cities is very different. In some, (signage) is very sparse, in others it's 'everything goes.' Shop owners say that they need signage... but the Design Review Board answers, 'We're in Moraga, everybody knows where everything is, why do you need signage?'"
Woehleke added that he thought that making it hard to get a sign is good, because it is a way to avoid excessive signage.
"The challenge is, how do we meet the different needs?" responded Schwartz. "The businesses are complaining that they do not have enough visibility and we want to support business; but we have to protect the esthetics of our town."
Schwartz said that the solution to the problem requires more creativity and effort. When staff said that the process was expected to be finalized within two weeks, Schwartz rose to speak again, "We've been waiting for seven years for this, don't rush it," she said. "We need more input from the public."
Planning director Shawna Brekke-Read agreed with Schwartz and indicated that more public input opportunities would be made available; at press time, the dates had not been set. The Planning Commission is scheduled to resume its discussion of the sign ordinance at its March 17 meeting; visit moraga.ca.us for details.
"Our regulation sets rules based on content; it is complicated and needs to be streamlined; and it needs to be clarified so applicants understand what is applicable in the town of Moraga," explained Samonsky. The process to update the Moraga Sign Ordinance began seven years ago and was stopped by 1st Amendment considerations: a sign ordinance should not address the content of a sign - what it says - as a basis for regulation, which could be considered discriminatory. Samonsky constructed a draft of an ordinance that is content neutral and takes several components into consideration: time - is it a permanent or non-permanent sign; manner - is the sign on a wall, in a window, or free standing; and place - will the sign be in a residential area, open space, or commercial district? It proposes that some signs be approved administratively (by staff), while others will need a hearing before the Design Review Board.
"Signs that are illuminated from the inside should continue to be reviewed by the Design Review Board," stated Samonsky. She also introduced novelties, such as non-permanent signs (A-frames) that would be allowed on the premises, one per business. "What do you define as the premises in a shopping center?" asked commissioner Christine Kuckuk who was concerned with what the scenic corridors could look like if all businesses in the shopping center started lining A-frames along the road.
The discussion of how the visual character of the town could be impacted by new sign policies started at that point. Commissioner Tom Marnane, who recalled his own experience setting appropriate signs, thought a professional eye was needed and wondered if the town had such a specialist.
Commissioner Woehleke, who has served on both the Design Review Board and Planning Commission in the past, expressed the most concern about the look signs could give a town. "I hope we all look at this as helping to define the town character," he said. "What you see in Portola Valley and what you see in other cities is very different. In some, (signage) is very sparse, in others it's 'everything goes.' Shop owners say that they need signage... but the Design Review Board answers, 'We're in Moraga, everybody knows where everything is, why do you need signage?'"
Woehleke added that he thought that making it hard to get a sign is good, because it is a way to avoid excessive signage.
"The challenge is, how do we meet the different needs?" responded Schwartz. "The businesses are complaining that they do not have enough visibility and we want to support business; but we have to protect the esthetics of our town."
Schwartz said that the solution to the problem requires more creativity and effort. When staff said that the process was expected to be finalized within two weeks, Schwartz rose to speak again, "We've been waiting for seven years for this, don't rush it," she said. "We need more input from the public."
Planning director Shawna Brekke-Read agreed with Schwartz and indicated that more public input opportunities would be made available; at press time, the dates had not been set. The Planning Commission is scheduled to resume its discussion of the sign ordinance at its March 17 meeting; visit moraga.ca.us for details.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA