SUBJECT: Sign/Zoning Ordinance Amendment #23-04, initiated by the City of Merced. This application involves repealing Chapter 17.36 - Signs from the Merced Municipal Code and replacing Chapter 20.62 - Signs in its entirety with a comprehensive update to the ordinance that would place all sign regulations in one chapter, bring the Sign Ordinance into compliance with recent court rulings, and make the sign requirements consistent throughout the City. The new ordinance would include new definitions, new regulations for sign area, temporary signs, digital/LED signs, signs in the public right-of-way, billboards, regional signs, freeway signs, and various other sign regulations. The proposed sign ordinance would categorize signs into four main types: permanent building signs, permanent freestanding signs, temporary building signs, and temporary freestanding signs. Each type of sign would be regulated by quantity, size, shape, type of illumination and location. **PUBLIC HEARING**] ACTION: PLANNING COMMISSION: Recommendation to City Council 1) Environmental Review #23-27 (Categorical Exemption) 2) Sign/Zoning Ordinance Amendment #23-04 CITY COUNCIL: Approve/Disapprove/Modify 1) Environmental Review #23-27 (Categorical Exemption) 2) Sign/Zoning Ordinance Amendment #23-04 SUMMARY The proposed ordinance amendment is a comprehensive update of the Sign Ordinance which includes repealing the existing Sign Ordinance in Chapter 17.36-Signs of the Merced Municipal Code (MMC) and adding new sections to Chapter 20.62-Signs. This update is intended to make the Sign Ordinance less confusing and easier to interpret as well as bringing the ordinance into compliance with recent Supreme Court rulings. RECOMMENDATION Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval to the City Council of Environmental Review #23-27 (Categorical Exemption) and Zoning Ordinance Amendment #23-04 subject to the findings/considerations in Exhibit A and as described in the Draft Ordinance at Exhibit B of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A of Planning Commission Staff Report #23-730.

Committee

Planning Commission

Introduced

August 17, 2023

On agenda

September 6, 2023