DATE:
October 4, 2022
TO:
Mayor and Council Members
FROM:
Nils Bentsen, City Manager
BY:
Rachel Molina, Assistant City Manager
Ryan Leoanrd, Senior Planner
Edgar Gonzalez, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:
Site Plan Review SPR22-00007; Applicant: Lamar Advertising Company; APN: 0357-065-05
RECOMMENDED ACTION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2022-71 approving a billboard relocation agreement with Lamar Advertising to facilitate the removal of three billboard sign faces and the construction of one digital billboard display.
BACKGROUND
Proposal: A Site Plan Review (SPR) has been filed to allow one 672 square foot digital billboard display with a height of 32 feet located at 5830 Mariposa Road and to remove three existing billboard sign faces within the City.
Current General Plan, Zoning and Land Uses: The property is within the Regional Commercial (RC) zone of the Main Street and Freeway Corridor Specific Plan. The I-15 freeway is located west and south of the project site. The properties to the north and east are zoned Regional Commercial (RC) within the Main Street and Freeway Corridor Specific Plan. The surrounding land uses consist of vacant land (Attachment 1 & 2).
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
The proposed agreement will permit Lamar Advertising to construct a new digital billboard. The City’s Municipal Code requires that for each digital face permitted, that three billboard faces be permanently removed. Therefore, an existing billboard with two sign faces, and another billboard with one sign face will be removed. Both billboards that are to be removed are located on the same parcel as the proposed digital billboard.
The proposed digital billboard will be located on an existing 4.62-acre site that contains a metal warehouse building that is currently operated by Desert Valley Towing. Two wireless facility towers exist on the site, one of which is the Oak Hills water tower that is viewable from the I-15 freeway. The proposed digital billboard will be located on the northern end of the site adjacent to the I-15 freeway and south of one of the existing billboards that will be removed. The proposed digital board will be orientated towards the vehicles coming northbound on the I-15 freeway (Attachment 3 and 4).
Section 16.36.100 of the Municipal Code prohibits the construction of new billboards unless they are done in compliance with approval of a relocation agreement, site plan review by the City Council, and are consistent with all sections within the billboard ordinance. The applicant has filed a site plan review, submitted a billboard relocation agreement and the project complies with the billboard ordinance as listed in section 16.36.100(C).
The proposed digital billboard complies with the minimum square footage and height limitations in the Municipal Code. It also complies with minimum separation criteria and required proximity of a freeway. In addition, prior to the issuance of a building permit, the proposed digital billboard will be reviewed by City staff to ensure that it complies with all code requirements and is consistent with Section 16.36.100(c) of the Hesperia Municipal Code.
State law permits cities and billboard owners to enter into relocation agreements at whatever terms and conditions are acceptable to the parties. The relocation agreement memorializes the terms, conditions, and timeframes upon the applicant’s ability to remove the existing billboards, and allows the construction of a new digital billboard. In addition, the applicant will be required to provide a one-time payment for the benefit of the City’s Ranchero Interchange beatification project (Attachment 5).
Environmental: The project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by Section 15302, Replacement or Reconstruction. This exemption applies to existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.
The proposed billboard conforms with section 16.36.100 - Billboards of the Municipal Code. The proposed digital billboard will require the removal of two existing billboards, which will eliminate additional sign structures visible from the I-15 freeway and will provide a more effective way of advertising through a digital display board. Additionally, the site will be enhanced by the digital billboard, as the two existing billboard structures are old and outdated.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
ALTERNATIVE(S):
Provide alternative direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
Aerial Photo
General Plan Land Use Map
Site Plan
Billboard Sign
Billboard Relocation Agreement
Resolution No. 2022-71
Conditions of Approval
City of Hesperia STAFF REPORT City of Hesperia STAFF REPORT City of Hesperia
STAFF REPORT
City of Hesperia
STAFF REPORT
Staff Report to the City Council
SPR22-00007
October 4, 2022