CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
Zoning Ordinance Amendment
CEQA Categorical Exemption Report
MAY 2024
LEAD AGENCY: CITY OF BEACH
City of Signal Hill
Community Development
2175 Cherry Avenue
Signal Hill, California 90755
Contact: Mr. Carlos Luis, Planning Manager
[email protected]
PREPARED BY: DE NOVO PLANNING GROUP
180 E. Main Street, Suite 108
Tustin, California 92780
Attachment C
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
Zoning Ordinance Amendment
Categorical Exemption Report
LEAD AGENCY: CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
Community Development
2175 Cherry Avenue
Signal Hill, California 90755
Contact: Mr. Carlos Luis, Planning Manager
[email protected]
(562) 989-7360
PREPARED BY: DE NOVO PLANNING GROUP
180 E. Main Street, Suite 108
Tustin, California 92780 s
Contact: Starla Barker, AICP
[email protected]
(949) 396-8193
May 2024
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
Table of Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
1.0. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Purpose.......................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 CEQA Compliance .......................................................................................................... 1
2.0. PROJECT DESCRIPTION................................................................................................ 1
2.1 Project Characteristics................................................................................................... 1
3.0. COMMON SENSE CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION CRITERIA ANALYSIS................................. 3
4.0. CLASS 32 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION CRITERIA ANALYSIS ............................................. 3
5.0. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 3
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
1 1.0 Introduction
2.0 Project Description
1.1 PURPOSE
The City of Signal Hill is proposing a Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA) to the City of Signal Hill Municipal Code (SHMC), Title 20, Zoning, Chapter 20.58 Signs. The proposed ZOA is a discretionary project, and therefore, subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA, if the Lead Agency determines a project is exempt, the process does not need to proceed any farther and the agency may prepare a Notice of Exemption. This report identifies the CEQA provisions for exemptions, provides a description of the proposed ZOA (“the Project”), and documents the Project’s eligibility for a common sense Categorical Exemption, under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061, Review for Exemption.
1.2 CEQA COMPLIANCE
California Code of Regulations Title 14. Natural Resources Division 6. Resources Agency Chapter 3:
Guidelines for Implementation of the CEQA establish the regulations to be followed by all state and local agencies in California in the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The State CEQA Guidelines reflect the requirements set forth in the Public Resources Code, as well as court decisions interpreting the statute and practical planning considerations.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b), Review for Exemption, states that a project is exempt from CEQA for several reasons, including if the project is exempt by statute (CEQA Guidelines Section 15260); the project is exempt pursuant to a categorical exemption (CEQA Guidelines Section 15300) and the application of that categorical exemption is not barred by one of the exceptions set forth in Section 15300.2; or the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
2.1 PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS
The City of Signal Hill is initiating a ZOA to SHMC Chapter 20.58, Signs, in order to provide required updates to the SHMC to make it consistent with current case law, clarify the requirements for certain signs, and provide formatting and organizational updates. The updates to the SHMC Chapter 20.58 are editorial in nature, where portions of text are deleted, revised and reformatted to clarify and streamline the overall text of the Sign Ordinance. A list of proposed text edits is described below.
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
2 • Section 20.58.020, Permits required. Public information signs and election signs are no longer required to obtain a permit.
• Section 20.58.030, Sign permit procedures. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and restructured by alphanumerical bullet points.
• Section 20.58.040, Required findings. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and formatted by alphanumerical bullet points.
• Section 20.58.050, Definitions. In addition to text reformatting by alphanumerical bullet points, the text definitions for a chamber of commerce sign, dumping sign, election sign, event sign, foreign language sign, holiday display, obscene advertising, political sign, public information sign have been omitted; the definitions of sign, temporary non-commercial sign, and vehicle sign have been revised.
• Section 20.58.060, Signs in residential districts. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and formatted by alphanumerical bullet points. The prior ordinance citation after the section text was omitted.
• Section 20.58.070, Signs in commercial and industrial districts. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and formatted by alphanumerical bullet points. • Section 20.58.080, Temporary signs. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and formatted by alphanumerical bullet points. The prior ordinance citation after the section text was omitted.
• Section 20.58.090, Outdoor advertising structures. There are no text edits, but the text is now organized and formatted by alphanumerical bullet points. The prior ordinance citation after the section text was omitted.
• Section 20.58.100, Foreign language signs. This section has been omitted. • Section 20.58.110, Signs in public right-of-way. In addition to text reformatting by alphanumerical bullet points, text relating to election and public information signage has been omitted, and the prohibition of signage attached to traffic control devices has been clarified. The prior ordinance citation after the section text was omitted.
• Section 20.58.120, Exempt signs. The listing of exempt signs was revised to omit election signs, political signs, and public information signs. Placement of signs in a public right of way, limitations on the number of signs were, “open/closed” basic information signs, Chamber of Commerce signs, and holiday displays were omitted from this section. New exemptions were added for temporary non-commercial signs on private property and the location of such signs were added to this section. • Section 20.58.130, Prohibited signs. New prohibitions related to vehicle signs and other signs not expressly permitted by this Chapter were added to this section; the prohibition on obscene advertising was omitted, as well as the prior ordinance citation after the section text. • Section 20.58.140, General conditions. A new provision was added permitting the replacement of a non-commercial sign constructed to the same physical dimensions and characteristics. • Section 20.58.150, Enforcement – Removal of signs. Clarification to the provision regarding removal of signs in the public right-of-way was included, and the prior ordinance citation after the section text was omitted.
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
3 3.0 Common Sense Exemption Criteria Analysis
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 References
The Project does not propose any other changes that would affect signage in the City of Signal Hill, nor does it permit or prohibit any specific or proposed signage under this action. The required revisions would only streamline the text of the SHMC Chapter 20.58, Signs, as described in the listed revisions above. The revisions to the SHMC proposed by the ZOA would not result in the need for further environmental review.
The activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, this activity is not subject to CEQA.
Based on the characteristics of the Project, which consist only of text edits to ensure compliance with current case law, clarification of the requirements for certain signs, and formatting and organizational updates to SHMC Chapter 20.58, the common sense exemption would be applicable to the Project, under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b). The revisions proposed are editorial in nature and do not include any specific signage to be constructed or placed, nor would they prohibit the placement or type of signage where they could be previously placed. The revisions would not provide for or allow new signs that are not currently allowed or similar in nature to those currently allowed, or alter specific sign standards with the potential to have a significant effect on the environment. There would be no potential for an environmental impact to result from the proposed ZOA. Therefore, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b), it would be common sense that this activity would be covered by the common sense exemption, as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, and the activity is not subject to CEQA (i.e., the Project would be exempt from further environmental analysis).
As a result of the analysis provided herein, the proposed ZOA for revisions to the SHMC Chapter 20.58, Signs, would be exempt from CEQA, based on the common sense exemption, under Section 15061(b) of the CEQA Guidelines.
City of Signal Hill Municipal Code, Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 20.58, Signs, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/signalhill/latest/signalhill_ca/0-0-0-75635. Accessed May 2024.
California Environmental Quality Act, 2024 CEQA Statute and Guidelines, Section 15061.