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K <br />initiated text amendment(s) to modify existing regulations governing allowable <br />signage. <br />There has been an increase in inquires and interest with respect to development of <br />large -scale commercial operations within the County, with an emphasis on property <br />located within the: <br />a. Commercial Transition, <br />b. Commercial - Industrial Transition, and <br />c. Economic Development Transition <br />Activity Nodes (please see Attachment 2 for a copy of the Future Land Use Map of <br />the Comprehensive Plan for additional detail). <br />Current sign regulations limit the total allowable square footage for freestanding and <br />wall signs to 32 square feet (8 feet by 4 feet in size) regardless of the properties <br />location (in or outside of an Activity Node), size of parcel, or amount of road frontage. <br />There is a concern that current regulations do not offer a suitable distinction between <br />development within Activity Nodes (i.e. more urban areas of the County) and rural <br />areas allowing for a sign of suitable size to accommodate a non - residential project on <br />a larger parcel of property. The `one -size fits all' sign limit may, in fact, be a deterrent <br />to non - residential development in the aforementioned Activity Nodes. <br />There is also a noticeable lack of clarity within the UDO addressing the development <br />of large -scale properties with multiple tenants necessitating the need for a larger, <br />freestanding sign, advertising local businesses and on what constitutes a <br />blinking /flashing sign leading to enforcement concerns. <br />The proposed amendment(s) seek to address these concerns <br />2. Analysis <br />As required under Section 2.8.5 of the UDO, the Planning Director is required to: <br />`cause an analysis to be made of the application and, based upon that analysis, <br />prepare a recommendation for consideration by the Planning Board and the Board of <br />County Commissioners'. <br />The amendments are necessary to address current concerns over advertising needs for <br />development within the urban areas of the County (i.e. the Commercial Transition, <br />Commercial - Industrial Transition, and Economic Development Transition Activity Nodes) <br />and clarify the prohibition on the use of blinking /flashing signage by incorporating new <br />definitions into the UDO. <br />Staff will also be using this amendment process to incorporate an interpretation relating to <br />the use of digital displays by gas stations. Historically gas stations have displayed gas <br />prices through an internally /externally illuminated reader board. These displays create <br />unnecessary glare for motorists. We have allowed gas stations to incorporate digital <br />reader board displays to advertise gas prices, reducing glare and eliminating issues of <br />light trespass either through cracked message boards allowing undiffused light to escape <br />or misaligned external light fixtures creating glare for motorists. <br />Additional analysis will be part of the public hearing materials <br />2 <br />