Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Urgency Ordinance Relating to Placing a Moratorium on the Approval of New Entitlements for Freeway-Oriented Billboards.
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publichearing
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From: Catherine Lin, Community Development Director
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Catherine Lin, Community Development Director
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Consider placement of a moratorium on the approval of new entitlements for freeway-oriented billboards, and provide direction to adopt an Urgency Ordinance entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA, PLACING A MORATORIUM ON THE APPROVAL OF NEW ENTITLEMENTS FOR FREEWAY-ORIENTED BILLBOARDS TO BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AS AN URGENCY MEASURE,” read by title only and waive further reading.
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BACKGROUND
The City has received multiple applications for freeway-oriented digital billboards in recent months. However, Chapter 17.330.080 of the City’s Zoning Code, which addresses development standards for billboard signs, contains outdated regulations that do not address today’s trend for freeway electronic billboards, particularly on the issues of height, proximately to residential neighborhoods, and potential harm to residents and vehicular drivers/passengers alike from light and glare, and distance requirement between digital billboards.
These issues, if not properly regulated, could lead to safety issues to vehicular traffic since the current height limitations do not effectively place these types of signs at an elevation above the roadway that can be safely read by drivers while also minimizing the visual impact and aesthetics of the billboards. Additionally, proper distance requirement from existing residential areas needs to be enacted in the code to mitigate potential public health impacts from chronic exposure to the light and glare from digital billboards.
Therefore, to safeguard health, safety, and welfare of the City’s residents and visitors, an immediate update to Chapter 17.330.080 of the City’s Zoning Code is warranted prior to the Planning Commission’s consideration of any proposed billboard signs. Therefore, staff recommends that the City Council adopt an Urgency Ordinance to establish a moratorium on freeway-oriented billboards until Chapter 17.330.080 of the City’s Zonin Code has been updated with appropriate development standards for digital billboards.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council consider and adopt an Urgency Ordinance to establish a moratorium on freeway-oriented billboards until Chapter 17.330.080 of the City’s Zoning Code has been updated with appropriate development standards for digital billboards.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Urgency Ordinance
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
Christian Bettenhausen, City Attorney
Christine Cordon, City Manager