Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: May 22, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Rachel Richman, City Attorney
Subject: Ordinance Amending Chapter 17.04 Pertaining to Sign Regulations and Resolution Adopting a Sign Redemption Fee
BACKGROUND
The Camarillo Municipal Code Chapter 17.04 provides sign regulations and restrictions, including definitions and provisions regarding temporary freestanding noncommercial signs which may be posted with campaign or political messages.
The sign code is a critical guideline enforced by the City’s Code Compliance to ensure legal compliance defining the allowable number of signs, size restrictions, permissible time period for display, and placement of signs providing specific regulations for both residential and non-residential zones.
Signs must comply with the City’s Sign Code and noncommercial/political signs have distinct regulations. The election period is defined as “the period commencing 90 days before any national, state, or local election in which city electors may vote up through the date of the election,” and candidates for office are expected to follow and abide by the sign code regulations throughout the campaign period.
DISCUSSION
The Sign Code is reviewed prior to each election season to properly address any additional criteria that may require updated regulations or to implement changes to assist in code compliance enforcement. The proposed amendments to Chapter 17.04 make the following minor modifications:
•Chapter 17.04.020
oAdds the word “bicycle” to the definition of “freestanding sign” and “mobile sign” and adds a new definition for “Political Sign”
•Chapter 17.04.050
Ordinance Amending Chapter 17.04 - Sign Regulations
May 22, 2024
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oUpdates the title and inserts section B addressing political signs on public property and in the public right-of-way
•Chapter 17.04.140
oAdds language to address the removal and redemption of political signs on public property, including the implementation a redemption fee for the collection of signs to address the costs associated with the retrieval and storage of the illegally placed temporary freestanding noncommercial signs in the public right-of-way
The City’s Code Compliance division is responsible for enforcement of the sign code and tracks the number of illegally placed signs removed and stored each year. Improper placement of signs in the city right-of-way, city facilities, open spaces, parks, and highways have increased significantly over the past few years specifically during the election period, and currently there is no fee associated with the removal, and no cost- recovery for the code enforcement and storage of removed signs. The recommendation to establish a new sign redemption fee is based on a portion of the actual cost for code enforcement to retrieve and store the sign and would require an update to the City’s Fee Schedule which must be adopted by resolution.
The proposed new fee of $25.00 per illegal sign collected will allow for only a percentage of the full cost-recovery but will work to address the excessive illegal placement of signs in the public right-of-way as well as help to maintain the aesthetic integrity of public spaces. The first fifteen signs will be removed and stored, then returned to the candidate or sign owner upon their request at no cost as a “grace period.” Candidates and sign owners will be reminded to monitor and ensure proper placement of signs during the grace period. The fee would then be required to be paid for the return of each sign collected after exceeding fifteen.
During the election nomination period, all candidates are provided the sign code, educated on proper and legal placement of noncommercial signs, and are provided a handbook identifying all applicable regulations set forth by the City Ordinance and local regulations.
The City followed all requirements for the legal noticing of the scheduled public hearing to adopt the proposed redemption fee updating the City’s Master Fee Schedule.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Waive further reading and introduce an Ordinance amending Chapter 17.04 of the Camarillo Municipal Code pertaining to Sign Regulations; and Ordinance Amending Chapter 17.04 - Sign Regulations
May 22, 2024
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2. Adopt a Resolution approving the addition of a Sign Redemption Fee updating the City’s Fee Schedule.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance – Redline
2. Ordinance – Clean
3. Resolution
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None