Item #06
Date: January 6, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kathy Pease, Planning Consultant
Jim Schaad, City Manager
Subject: Zoning Change for Signs and Fence regulations in the Downtown Specific Plan
Recommendation
Introduce waive the reading of an Ordinance amending Section 18.64 and Section 18.84 of the City of Marysville Municipal Code to reference the new Downtown Specific Plan zoning districts, and schedule the proposed Ordinance for a second reading and adoption at the next regular City Council meeting currently scheduled for January 20, 2026, to be effective 30 days after adoption.
Summary
The City Council approved adoption of the Downtown Specific Plan at its meeting of September 16, 2025. As part of that action the zoning districts were changed. In implementing projects within the Downtown Specific Plan area, staff identified that the sign ordinance only referred to the previous zoning districts and therefore changes to the zoning code are needed to avoid confusion on sign requirements. It is proposed that the new zoning districts be labeled with a key to identify the appropriate sign code requirements. In order to avoid confusion, the City Council adopted an Urgency Ordinance which adopted a non-codified Sign and Fence District Map and changes to the Zoning Ordinance temporarily for the sign and fence sections.
Background
Previous zoning districts in the Downtown Specific Plan Included C-1, C-2 and C-3 commercial and M-1 industrial designations. As part of the Downtown Specific Plan the districts were changed based on area: Downtown (Downtown Mixed Use DMU), Commercial Mixed Use, Medical Arts District, Mixed Use Neighborhood (MU-N) and B Street Corridor (B).
Sign requirements are found in section 18.64 and fence regulations are found in Section 18.84 and both are based on the zoning district which limits the number, size, height, location, and lighting of signs or height and location of fences. It is proposed that each of the Downtown Specific Plan areas have a designated sign and fence district that corresponds to a noncodified sign district map, as shown below. The map is color coded and includes sign districts labeled A through H. This map would be used by staff to assist applicants with the sign requirements for their locations.
Downtown Specific Plan Sign and Fence Districts
Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The sign and fence amendment is being paid for through the City’s General Fund.
Environmental Review
Pursuant to Sections 15063 and 15073 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an EIR was prepared and circulated for the Downtown Specific Plan. An EIR is an informational document which is intended to inform public agency decision-makers and the public of the potentially significant environmental impacts of a project, identify ways to minimize the significant impacts (mitigation), and describe reasonable alternatives to the project. The Draft EIR was made available for public review for a 45-day period from September 27th, 2024, to November 12th, 2024 and the Final EIR was adopted September 16, 2025. The amendments to the sign and fence ordinance would be consistent with the analysis of uses in the EIR.
Planning Commission Recommendation
At its December 2025 meeting, the Planning and Historic Preservation Commission held a public hearing and voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments.
Legal Review
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form.
Attachments
1) Ordinance
2) Exhibit A