165780
• 93
Draft 5
12/21/93
ORDINANCE NO. 16,578
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 36 OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LITTLE
ROCK, ARKANSAS PROVIDING FOR MODIFICATION
OF THE LIGHTING AND PROHIBITED SIGNS
PROVISIONS, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE'CITY OF
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
WHEREAS, a petition was submitted to the City of Little Rock
Planning Commission requesting relief from Sign Ordinance
standards; and,
WHEREAS, it has been determined that certain business
enterprise may be adversely affected by the current standards;
SECTION 1. That Chapter 36. of the Code of Ordinances be
amended as follows:
Subsection (a) That Chapter 36., Section 36 -543, be amended
to provide for modification of the language and to then read as
follows:
Sec. 36 -543. Prohibited signs and sales promotion devices.
The following type signs are prohibited in all districts
unless otherwise noted.
(1) Abandoned signs.
(2) Banners, pennants, festoons, searchlights, except as allowed
in section 36- 557(d).
(3) Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government
signs or signals.
(4) Snipe signs or signs attached to trees, telephone poles,
fences, public benches, or placed on public property or
public right -of -way.
(5) Vehicular signs.
(6) Trailer or temporary signs that do not meet the standards
for freestanding permanent signs.
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(7) Roof signs, or any sign that is not mounted on a vertical
surface.
(8) Rotating signs.
Subsection (b) That Chapter 36., Section 36 -557. be amended
for purposes of modifying the language in paragraph (d), and to
then read as follows:
Sec. 36 -557. Special provisions for on- premise signs and
other sale promotion devices.
(a) All on- premise wall signs must face required street
frontage except in complexes where a sign without street
frontage would be the only means of identification for a
tenant.
(b) Sign heights for all ground- mounted on- premise signs
located on properties immediately adjacent to and contiguous
to an expressway or freeway may be measured from the
elevation of the centerline of the traffic lanes (excluding
frontage roads) adjacent to subject property to the top of
the sign structure. It shall be the responsibility of the
sign owner to submit all necessary information when this
approach is used. The maximum allowable height in any zone
and under any condition shall be thirty -six (36) feet.
(c) In commercial and industrial zones where a lot has in
excess of one hundred fifty (150) linear feet main street
frontage, one (1) additional on- premise freestanding sign
will be allowed for each additional one hundred fifty (150)
linear feet of main street frontage. Such signs shall be
subject to the size and height limitations of the first
allowed freestanding sign and may be placed no closer than
one hundred fifty (150) linear feet from any other
freestanding sign located on the same property.
(d) One (1) temporary special event on- premise banner or
device per premise per street frontage as allowed by the
administrator for special events or grand openings. Special
event banners or devices shall only be utilized for
nonresidential uses or zoning districts. For these events,
the signs or decorations may be erected for a maximum of six
(6) weeks per occasion, not to exceed four (4) events in a
calendar year.
1) These signs or decorations shall be secured by a
method approved by the administrator to ensure safety
and stability.
2) The maximum size for these banners and decorations
shall be five (5) feet vertical and twenty (20) feet
horizontal.
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3) They shall not be tied, secured, mounted or affixed
in any manner to a tree, landscaping, screening wall or
fence.
The placement of these event materials may be pole
mounted or on a building provided there are no
encroachments into a public Right -of -Way.
4) An annual events permit may be obtained by an owner
or operator of a site, which will allow the user to
structure the number of events and days per year
desired. The permit shall be submitted for review and
approval as set forth in Section 36 -545. and a fee
assessed as provided in Section 36- 545.(e). Telephone
contact may be used to initiate the beginning of events
and timing after initial approval.
5) Maintenance shall be as provided in Chapter 36,
Section 36 -546. of the Code of Ordinances.
6) These materials or devices shall not be placed.
mounted or in any way affixed to any off premise sign
or.billboard.
7) For purposes of mixed use development with multiple
businesses or buildings on a lot or tract of land,
freestanding banners shall not be permitted when two or
more businesses are permitted building mounted banners.
On these mixed use sites freestanding banners may be
used for events common to all tenants.
Subsection (c) That Chapter 36., Article X, Section
36 -547. be amended to provide for modification of the language in
36- 547.(4) the insettion of a new paragraph to be numbered (5),
and to then read as follows:
(4) Any device that allows oscillating, rotating or
flashing lights.
(5) Animation manifesting either kinetic or illusionary
motion occasioned by a natural, manual, mechanical,
electrical or other means.
(6) The illusion of movement by means of a pre - programmed
repetitious sequential switching action in which illuminated
elements of the sign are turned off or on to visually
simulate the impression of motion characteristic of chasing,
running, blinking, oscillating, twinkling, scintillating, or
expanding and contracting light patterns.
Subsection (d) That Chapter 36., Article X, Section 36 -548
be amended to provide for modification and expansion of the
language and to then read as follows:
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36 -548 Changeable Copy.
Unless otherwise specified in this chapter a sign may use
changeable copy, limited to:
1) Manually activated: Signs whose alphabetic,
pictographic, or symbolic informational content
can be changed .Or altered by manual means.
2) Electrically activated: Signs whose alphabetic,
pictographic, or symbolic informational content
can be changed or altered on a fixed surface
composed of electrically illuminated or
mechanically driven changeable segments.
However, in no instance shall these types of signs produce
the illusion of movement or animation prohibited by Section
36 -547.
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SECTION 2. The Little Rock Board of Directors hereby finds and
declares that as a result of the administration and enforcement of the
current sign regulations certain commercial enterprise is impacted
economically and in order to protect the health safety and welfare of
the citizens of this City, an emergency is hereby declared to exist
and this ordinance shall be in effect immediately upon its passage.
PASSED: January 18, 1994
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Robbie Hancock
r a:signord.doe
APPROVED:
Mayor
Jim Dailey
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02.03.94 11:39
Invoice # 943921
January 26, 1994
$601 3741909
Robbie Hancock
Little Rock City Clerk
600 W Markham, Rm 200
Little Rock AR, 72201
Account # 1100/2849
ORD
THE DAILY REcoRD
[?I001i001
3 ' :41 1
101 E CepltOt Ave
suite 455
P. 0. Box 1106
Llttle ROC14 AR 72203
Total Cost
Payable upon receipt
Please naturn this portion of the statement will? your payment
Invoice # 943921
January 25, 1994
Robbie Hancock
Little Rock City Clerk
Account # 1100/2849
Case # 012694 Cost $154.56
$154.55