Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and
Council / et au Conseil
16
February 2010 / le 16 février 2009
Submitted
by/Soumis par : Councillor/Conseiller Bob Monette
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Councillor/Conseiller Bob Monette, Orléans
613-580-2471,
Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca
Ref N°: ACS2010-CCS-PEC-0008 |
SUBJECT: |
PROHIBITION OF ROOF TOP SIGNS |
|
|
OBJET : |
INTERDICTION D’INSTALLER DES ENSEIGNES SUR
LE TOIT |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Planning and Environment Committee recommend
Council approve that staff be directed to undertake a review of the merits and
impact of the prohibition of roof top signs including a survey of other
municipal sign by-laws and public consultation, and report back to Council by
December 31, 2010.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver qu’on demande au personnel
d’examiner les bienfaits et les effets de l’interdiction d’ériger une enseigne
sur une propriété, notamment en étudiant d’autres règlements municipaux sur les
enseignes et en organisant une consultation publique, et de faire part de ses
conclusions au Conseil d’ici le 31 décembre 2010.
BACKGROUND
At the 9 February
2010 meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee, Councillor Monette
moved the following notice of motion:
WHEREAS the business owner at 900 Watters Rd, Unit number 5 in Orléans,
has placed a sign on the roof of the commercial business located on the
premises and the sign is in the shape of a cow (the “sign”);
AND WHEREAS the sign has been placed on the roof of the premises on and
off for since the business first occupied the premises in 2005;
AND WHEREAS roof signs are not permitted in neither the Permanent Signs
on Private Property By-law nor the Temporary Signs on Private Property By-law;
AND WHEREAS the sign has the support of members of the
community who have submitted a petition with over 1000 signatures;
AND WHEREAS the business owner has indicated that the sign is a means
of advertising for the cheese shop business located on the premises:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that:
1.
Staff be
directed to undertake a review of the merits and impact of the prohibition of
roof top signs including a survey of other municipal sign by-laws and public
consultation, and report back to Council by December 31, 2010; and
2.
Pending
the outcome of the review and a decision by Council on the appropriateness of
roof top signs, that the enforcement action specific to the sign depicting the
cow on the roof top at 900 Watters Road, Unit 5, be suspended until December
31, 2010.
Subsequent to the tabling of the Notice of Motion, recommendation two was withdrawn.
DISCUSSION
Roof top signs are
prohibited in both the Permanent Signs on Private Property By-law and the
Temporary Signs By-law. Roof top signs
were prohibited in the former City of Ottawa since the first sign by-law in
1962 and were also prohibited in most of the former municipalities that now
form the City of Ottawa including the City of Gloucester and the Township of
Cumberland. Many other major municipalities in Ontario and elsewhere
prohibit roof top signs notably Vancouver and just recently, Toronto. The prohibition protected the city skyline
from being dotted with billboards and other sign structures.
Sign by-laws are created to address public safety concerns associated with the construction and placement of signs, in addition to ensuring that the sign reflects community values and is appropriate to the context of the subject property (zoning and use) and its environment including design plans or guidelines, proximity to heritage properties, National Capital Commission jurisdictions, etc.
Given the significant support expressed for this roof top sign and given an amendment to the By-law would be necessary to permit this type of signage and thus the potential impact would be city-wide, the Department is in agreement to revisit the current prohibition and determine whether the regulation continues to meet the City’s needs and if not, what provisions would be suitable to regulate these signs.
As this matter is unscheduled, the Department will require
external expertise to assist with the coordination of the public consultation, analysis
and preparation of report and presentation. The consultant costs for the review are
estimated to be $20,000 and will be charged to Building Code Services funds
that are not supported by building permit activity.
There are no rural implications.
CONSULTATION
This item will be advertised in the local dailies as part of the Public
Meeting Advertisement on the Friday preceding the Planning and Environment
Committee meeting.
LEGAL/RISK IMPLICATIONS
No significant legal or risk management implications.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Estimated consultant costs for the review are
$20,000. Funds are available within Building Code Services - Other Permits and
Compliance Reporting.
The Department of Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability will implement the directions of Committee and Council.