7.       mINOR VARIANCE TO SIGN BY-LAW 147-95 - 1000 PALLADIUM Drive

 

dÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT 147-95 SUR LES ENSEIGNES –
1000, PROMENADE PALLADIUm

 

 

 

Committee recommendation

 

That Council approve a minor variance to By-law 147-95, a by-law to regulate signs and advertising devices on 1000 Palladium Drive, to increase the ground sign maximum height limitation from nine metres to 12.2 metres subject to the conditions set out by the Ministry of Transportation detailed in Document 4.

 

 

Recommandation du Comité

 

Que le Conseil approuve une dérogation mineure au Règlement 147-95, qui régit les enseignes et les dispositifs publicitaires au 1000, promenade Palladium, de façon à faire passer de neuf mètres à 12,2 mètres la hauteur maximale des enseignes au sol, sous réserve des conditions imposées par le ministère des Transports, qui sont énoncées dans le document 4.

 

 

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.         A/Deputy City Manager's report (Planning and Growth Management) dated
19 September 2006 (ACS2006-PGM-BLD-0023).

 

 


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

19 September 2006 / le 19 septembre 2006

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : John L. Moser, Acting Deputy City Manager/

Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim,

Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance 

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Sandra Garnett, Manager, Legal and Service Integration

Building Services/Direction des services du bâtiment

(613) 580-2424 x41544, Sandra.Garnett@ottawa.ca

 

Kanata (4)

Ref N°: ACS2006-PGM-BLD-0023

 

 

SUBJECT:

MINOR VARIANCE TO SIGN BY-LAW 147-95 - 1000 PALLADIUM Drive

 

 

OBJET :

DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT 147-95 SUR LES ENSEIGNES – 1000, PROMENADE PALLADIUM

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve a minor variance to By-law 147-95, a by-law to regulate signs and advertising devices on 1000 Palladium Drive, to increase the ground sign maximum height limitation from nine metres to 12.2 metres subject to the conditions set out by the Ministry of Transportation detailed in Document 4.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver une dérogation mineure au Règlement 147-95, qui régit les enseignes et les dispositifs publicitaires au 1000, promenade Palladium, de façon à faire passer de neuf mètres à 12,2 mètres la hauteur maximale des enseignes au sol, sous réserve des conditions imposées par le ministère des Transports, qui sont énoncées dans le document 4.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

On behalf of the property owner, an application to install a new project identification ground mounted sign was submitted by Zip Signs Ltd.  The proposal is to replace an existing pylon sign located at the west end of the property adjacent to Highway 417 (see Documents 1 and 2). The new sign structure would be a triangular format, each face measuring 74.32 sq. m with a height of 12.2 m (see Document 3).

 

By-law 147-95, a by-law to regulate signs and advertising devices specifically for the subject project, does not regulate the area of ground signs.  However, Section 10.1 (in part) states that no permanent identification sign shall project higher than nine metres above grade.  The By-law provides that illumination may be used for the lighting of identification signs and that identification signs may include animation.

 

The existing sign structure was approved with a sign face area of 37.16 sq. m. and a height of 9.14 m.  The sign is comprised of back-to-back sign faces that identify the project name and include a message centre capable of displaying fixed messages programmed to change periodically.  The proposed sign has a sign face area of 74.32 sq. m. at a height of 12.19 m. and comprised of three sign faces including the project name and corporate logo, with a message centre and a video screen on the east and west faces directed to motorists on Highway 417.

 

By-law 147-95 is silent on the scale of the permitted sign face area but limits the overall height to nine metres.  Section 2.2 of By-law 147-95 and Section 1 Sign By-law 2005-439 define animation/animated, in reference to a sign, as any action, motion, movement or mechanical motion.  The Department has consistently interpreted animation as signs that physically move e.g. a trivision billboard signs where the sign face rotates to display three different messages.  Electronic message centres may change the message at a frequency of not less than six seconds but may not be animated or display continuous motion.  Due to the potential for driver distraction, Sign By-laws of the former area municipalities did not permit motion picture or video screen signs.  Recently, City Council approved a general amendment to the sign by-law to permit small video screens measuring .15 square metres within pre-menu board signs for permitted drive through operations.

 

Ministry of Transportation pre-approval for all signs located within 400 metres of provincial highways is required.  For safety purposes, Ministry approval of the subject sign was conditional, in addition to the requirement to comply with local municipal by-laws, on the sign not flashing or displaying any movement of a visual nature.  Further, that an interval length between fixed messages of three minutes must be maintained for both the matrix (message centre) and the video display components (see Document 4).  The Department advises that, technically, these signs are capable of running, scrolling, flashing messages and the pressure from tenants on the property owner to exercise these options will be considerable. 

 

The Ministry position is consistent with the Sign By-law regulations for message centres permitted within ground signs located on commercial or industrial zoned property within the city.

 

Should the message centre or video screen display motion, both the City and the Ministry, upon receipt of a complaint, will initiate enforcement action (Notice of Violation, Provincial Offence Notice, court action, etc.) against the property owner.  Therefore, given the intent of the Sign By‑law, to accommodate the special needs of this facility, the Department is recommending approval of the sign at the proposed scale.  However, to address the potential safety concerns through visual distraction to passing motorists, the Department in support of the by-law and in consideration of the Ministry of Transportation condition of approval, recommends that approval of the minor variance is conditional on restricting the video screen and message centre to static images with an interval length of not less than three minutes.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Standard notification of the request for a minor variance were distributed to 15 community groups, 18 area property owners and three Ward Councillors.  Two responses were received is support of the application and one opposed.  The Katimavik-Hazeldean Community Association believes the additional height and content, specifically static images and variable changing messages, provide additional hazard to drivers on the Queensway which include residents and visitors to Katimavik Hazeldean.

 

Departmental Comment

 

As outlined in the background, the Sign By-law, which was specifically designed to accommodate the needs of the facility, notwithstanding the height limitation, does not regulate the scale of the sign.  If the height were restricted, the width of the message would expand resulting in a greater visual impact on motorists.  The recommendation does address the concern regarding the potential hazard created by changing messages through the requirement for both the message centre and video screen to be static allowing changes to the message at intervals of not less than three minutes.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 - Location Plan

Document 2 - Photograph of Existing Sign

Document 3 - Elevation of Proposed Sign

Document 4 - Ministry of Transportation Approval

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

Building Services Branch will process the sign permit application as per By-law 147-95.

 

 

 


LOCATION PLAN                                                                                                   DOCUMENT 1

 

 


EXISTING SIGN                                                                                                     DOCUMENT 2

 

 


PROPOSED SIGN                                                                                                   DOCUMENT 3

 



MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVAL                                            DOCUMENT 4