Minutes January 26, 1993221
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JANUARY 26, 1993
The Council convened into the Work Session at 5:15 p.m. in the
civil Defense Room.
PRESENT: Mayor Castleberry; Mayor Pro Tem Hopkins; Council Members
Brock, Chew, Perry, Smith and Miller.
ABSENT: None
1. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding
amendments to the sign ordinance and gave staff direction.
Frank Robbins, Executive Director for Planning, presented Council
with a handout, which was included in the agenda backup, detailing
the definitions of various types of signs. He indicated that at
the last discussion, Council had indicated that temporary signs
should have supports no larger than 4X4, be non-permanent in nature
and content neutral. It was felt that it would be necessary to
prevent temporary signs from becoming permanent. By including the
definition of a ground sign in the definition of a temporary sign,
the regulations applicable to ground signs would apply to a
temporary sign. If a temporary sign were not an on-premise sign, it
would be considered an off-premise sign and the 1500 foot spacing
requirement would be applicable.
Council Member Chew asked if that would apply to political signs.
Robbins replied no that the definition of an on-premise sign would
take care of political signs.
Council Member Brock asked if it would matter where the sign was
placed.
Robbins replied not directly.
temporary sign.
He reviewed the standards for a
Council Member Perry asked if the stakes had to be removed when the
temporary sign was taken down.
Robbins replied yes that all of the sign would have to be removed
within 10 days after the event.
Council Member Perry asked if the definition of "temporary" applied
to the sign or to the event.
Robbins replied it applied to both and that the definition was a
bit of a "gray" area.
Council Member Miller asked how those signs were handled under the
current ordinance.
222
City of Denton City Council Minutes
January 26, 1993
Page 2
Robbins replied that the signs now had to be hammered into the
ground.
Council Member Miller asked if a real estate open house would be a
temporary event.
Robbins replied yes because it was not a regular event which the
company would have.
Council Member Miller asked if a department store's sale would be
a temporary event.
Robbins replied no because that was' what the business did on a
regular basis.
Council Member Miller asked if examples of temporary events could
be included in the ordinance.
Debra Drayovitch, City Attorney, stated that the definition of
temporary events was really a gray area and there might be
exceptions to the wording of the ordinance.
Mayor Pro Tem Hopkins asked if this was a problem with the current
ordinance.
Robbins replied no because the signs were not regulated in this
manner.
Mayor Pro Tem Hopkins stated that if there was no problem with the
current ordinance, why was the wording going to be changed.
Robbins replied that there seemed to be an indication that
temporary signs would become the next version of the portable sign.
This was a tightening of the provisions for temporary signs. He
presented a distinction between temporary signs and wind devices.
The stake sign definition would no longer be included in the
ordinance as the provisions would no longer apply. He reviewed the
definition of a portable sign and presented examples of portable
signs and temDorary signs which were not up to standard.
Mayor Castleberry asked if the proposed ordinance would handle
these types of signs.
Robbins replied yes. He continued with a distinction between on-
premi~ and off-pr~mi~ signs for the use or lose provisions.
Council Member Perry stated that he would encourage that the sign
ordinance be enforced once passed.
223
City of Denton City Council Minutes
January 26, 1993
Page 3
Mayor Castleberry indicated that there would be a public hearing
regarding the sign ordinance at the next council meeting and a
consideration of the proposed ordinance.
2. The Council convened into the Executive Session to discuss
legal matters, real estate, and personnel/board appointments
(continued the annual evaluations of the City Manager, city
Attorney and Municipal Judge.)
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
JEN~FER ~ALTERS
SECReTlY
CITYv OF DENTON, TEXAS
ACC000DF