Report to/Rapport au :

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and Council / et au Conseil

28 April 2009 / le 28 avril 2009

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability

Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Sandra Garnett, Manager/Gestionnaire, Business Integration Services/Services d'intégration des activités, Building Code Services/Services du code du bâtiment, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

(613) 580-2424 x 41544, sandra.garnett@ottawa.ca

Barrhaven (3)

Ref N°: ACS2009-ICS-BLD-0009

SUBJECT:	SIGN BY-LAW VARIANCE - 3500 FALLOWFIELD ROAD

OBJET :	DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT SUR LES ENSEIGNES – 3500, chemin fallowfield

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:

1. Approve a variance to Sign By-law 2005-439, to allow an illuminated third-party advertising billboard sign at 3500 Fallowfield Road within 100 metres of a residential use instead of 300 metres, as shown in Documents 2 and 3, provided that the sign utilizes downward and shielded illumination.

2. Approve a variance to Sign By-law 2005-439 to allow a total sign area, for the two existing pylon identification ground signs, of 26 square metres instead of the maximum permitted area of 20 square metres, when the east ground sign is moved to be in front of the plaza building as a result of the installation of the new billboard.

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil :

1. d’approuver une dérogation mineure au Règlement sur les enseignes 2005-439 afin de permettre l’installation d’un panneau d’affichage éclairé pour une tierce partie au 3500, chemin Fallowfield, en deçà de 100 mètres d’une utilisation résidentielle au lieu des 300 mètres requis, comme l’indique les Documents 2 et 3, pourvu que le panneau soit doté d’un éclairage vertical et masqué.

2. d’approuver une dérogation mineure au Règlement 2005-439 afin de permettre une surface totale de panneau de 26 mètres carrés au lieu des 20 mètres carrés autorisés pour les deux panneaux d’identification au sol sur poteau actuels lorsque le panneau au sol est sera déplacé devant l’édifice de la place à la suite de l’installation du nouveau panneau d’affichage.

BACKGROUND

This property is a commercial plaza located on the south side of Fallowfield Road in Barrhaven, just west of the railway right-of-way (see Document 1). The lot is classified as a District 4 use in the Sign By-law. The By-law allows the installation of an illuminated billboard sign provided that there is a minimum setback of 300 metres to a residentially zoned lot. The applicant is seeking relief from the By-law to permit a reduction in the setback from 300 metres to 100 metres where the illuminated billboard will be visible to residential homes located southeast of this commercial property (Reference Document 2).

This billboard will comply with the size and area provisions of the By-law (see elevation in Document 3). In response to concerns generated by the circulation, the applicant has agreed to revise the format of the sign.

A second variance is required as the existing easterly pylon identification sign must be moved to an area further west in order to provide the required setback distance between a ground sign and the proposed billboard. The combined area of two identification signs on this frontage is 26 square metres instead of the maximum allowed area of 20 square metres for a shopping centre.

DISCUSSION

Recommendation 1

Section 167 of the Sign By-law specifies: "Where a billboard sign is visible from a residential use in a residential zone and there is no visible obstruction or barrier provided by an existing building or structure that would mitigate the impact of the billboard and its illumination, the owners of the billboard sign shall ensure that the sign is at least 300 metres from the lot having on it that residential use". The intent of this provision is to protect residential land use from the negative effects of illumination and the intrusion of a commercial type structure into a residential neighbourhood.

In this case, the applicant's first proposal was to move an existing pylon ground sign located between the building and the easterly property line and to replace it with an illuminated two-sided billboard sign. Once moved, the identification ground sign would be located in front of the plaza. The proposed billboard sign would project illumination towards adjacent residential located approximately 100 metres away.

As a result of concerns generated by the community, the applicant has altered the proposal to request the installation of a V-mounted display billboard sign, instead of a typical two-sided sign, that would have the images face out at a 45-degree angle to attempt to mitigate the impact upon adjacent uses (see attached location plan and elevation found in Documents 2 and 3). Further, the applicant has agreed to utilize lighting that will project downwards and provide shielding to limit light spill over to adjacent residential uses.

The changes in sign format will decrease the impact to residential as the image and lighting will face towards Fallowfield Road, instead of the nearby homes. Given this, the Department is recommending approval of the V-format sign with shielding, as this type of billboard sign respects the intent of the By-law and lessens the impact to adjacent uses.

Recommendation 2

In order to accommodate the placement of the proposed billboard, the existing east pylon sign must be relocated. As a result of the relocation, a new sign permit is required and a second variance is necessary to allow the combined sign face area of 26 square metres instead of the maximum permitted area of 20 square metres.

This variance is seen as minor in nature as there would be no net increase to the area of the two existing signs as a result of the movement of the east side ground sign. In fact, the relocation of the east sign to the front of the building is more useful to the plaza and would be further from adjacent residential uses. The Department recommends approval of this variance.

CONSULTATION

The standard notification to property owners, community groups and the Ward Councillor generated feedback from four adjacent owners who were against and one who was in favour of this variance application. The Ward Councillor has no objection to this application for variance.

Comments received reflected concern over potential lighting generated by the installation of a new billboard sign at this location. The Department is satisfied that changes suggested by the applicant, to reorient the sign, address any potential spill over lighting issues addressing by the circulation.

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

N/A

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 - Location Plan

Document 2 - Site Plan

Document 3 - Elevation Plan

Document 4 - Site Photos

DISPOSITION

City Manager's Office, City Clerk's office to notify the applicant, Pattison Outdoor Advertising, Attention: Frank Wilson, 5-6 Antares Drive, Phase 1, ON, K2E 8A9 and Ward Councillor Jan Harder of Council's decision. Building Code Services to process the sign permits resulting from the Council direction in accordance with Sign By-law 2005-439.

LOCATION PLAN DOCUMENT 1

SITE PLAN DOCUMENT 2