18A.100.060 Provisions for permanent signs or continuous displays.
A. The permanent sign standards table presents the dimensional standards and permit requirements by zoning district for signs that are permanently installed or otherwise permitted for display without time restriction.
Zone Districts | Permanent Sign Standards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign Type | Number Allowed | Sign Size (Min/Max) | Maximum Total Area | Maximum Height | Permit Rqd? | |
|
Residential (All R, MR, and MF Zones) | ||||||
Subdivision | Monument | 1 per primary entrance | 0 sf./32 sf. | 7' | Y | |
Each residential lot | All | 1 per street frontage | 0 sf./4 sf. | 4 sf. | 4' for picket | N |
MF with more than 6 units | Monument | 1 per primary entrance | 0 sf./32 sf. | 7' | Y | |
All other permitted nonresidential | Monument | 1 per primary entrance | 0/32 sf. | 7' | Y | |
Wall | Number limited by Total Area | 0/50 sf. | 5% of facade up to 50 sf | Y | ||
|
Commercial/Industrial (Excluding Freeway) | ||||||
Monument (by frontage) | Y | |||||
50' or less | 1 | 16 sf./24 sf. | 24 sf. | 7' | Y | |
More than 50' | Number limited by Total Area | 24 sf./40 sf. | 24 sf. plus 0.17 for each frontage foot over 50' | 7' | Y | |
A monument sign shall be separated from any other monument sign on the same property by a minimum 200' | ||||||
Pole (by frontage) | ||||||
Less than 250' | None | |||||
250' to 500' |
1 in trade for any 2 permitted Monument | 24 sf./40 sf. | 20' | Y | ||
Over 500' | 24 sf. /48 sf. | 20' | Y | |||
A pole sign shall be separated from any other monument and/or pole sign on the same property by a minimum 200' | ||||||
Wall |
200 sf per sign or group | 10% of facade | Y | |||
Window |
40% of the window area on each wall. | N | ||||
Freeway (Select TOC, C1, C2, IBP, I1) | ||||||
Pole/Monument-Surface Street frontage | Same as Nonfreeway Commercial/Industrial | Y | ||||
Pole – Freeway Frontage | 1 additional pole sign per freeway frontage. Min 60 lf. surface street frontage req'd. | 60 sf. min/ 200 sf. max. Must be within 50' of freeway row. | 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot arterial frontage (min. 60 linear feet of surface street frontage to qualify for freeway pole sign) | Y | ||
Wall, Window | Same as Nonfreeway Commercial/Industrial | |||||
Open Space, Public, and Institutional (OSR1, OSR2, P1) | ||||||
Monument (by frontage) | Y | |||||
50' or less | 1 | 16 sf./24 sf. | 24 sf. | 7' | Y | |
More than 50' | Number limited by Total Area | 24 sf./40 sf. | 24 sf. plus 0.17 for each frontage foot over 50' | 7' | Y | |
A monument sign shall be separated from any other monument sign on the same property by a minimum 200' | ||||||
Wall | 200 per sign or group | 10% of facade | Y | |||
Window | 40% of the window area on each wall. | N | ||||
B. Notes for Table.
1. The following abbreviations are used in the table:
Min. / Max. = Minimum / Maximum; sf = square foot or feet; Y = Yes; N = No; Rqd.= Required; row = right-of-way.
2. Wall sign includes projecting, canopy, awning, and marquee signs.
3. Freeway Commercial/Industrial. TOC, C1, C2, IBP, NC2 and I1 zoning districts which abut I-5, SR 512, Tacoma Mall Boulevard, or the BNSF railroad right-of-way in Tillicum.
C. Additional Requirements and Explanations for Specific Sign Types and Situations.
1. Wall signs shall not project more than eighteen (18) inches from the facade of the supporting structure.
2. Projecting signs shall not extend more than six (6) feet from the attached building.
3. Freestanding Signage for Landlocked Parcels.
a. For purposes of this section:
i. A “landlocked parcel” is a parcel which does not have frontage on a public street and access to the parcel is provided through an adjacent parcel via a recorded access easement, or is a parcel that has less than thirty (30) feet on a public street and may or may not have access on that street.
ii. A “host parcel” is the parcel which provides the access to a landlocked parcel, via an easement.
b. A host parcel may share its allocation of freestanding signage with the landlocked parcel. The host parcel is under no obligation to grant the landlocked parcel use of its property for an easement or to grant part of its signage allotment.
c. Freestanding signage for the landlocked parcel shall be placed adjacent to the recorded access easement and shall only advertise those businesses located on the landlocked parcel and/or the host parcel.
d. In the case of landlocked parcels utilizing a host parcel for signage, the signage for the landlocked parcel shall not be considered to be off-premises signage.
4. Landscaped Berm and Decorative Block-Edged Berm Alternatives for a Monument Sign. Landscaped berms or decorative block edged berms of two (2) feet or less in height shall not be included in the height calculations of a ground sign. Berms of more than two (2) feet in height shall be counted toward the sign height calculation. Landscaped berms shall have a slope ratio of not more than one to three (1:3) height-to-width, from the center of the berm to be considered a landscaped berm.
D. Integrated Sign Plans. Major employment centers within the NC1, NC2, CBD, TOC, C1, C2, IBP, I1 and I2 zoning districts may vary from the development standards of this section by obtaining approval of an integrated sign plan for the center.
1. The sign plan for the center shall be reviewed either separately or as part of the conditional use permit for the project.
2. In approving the sign plan for the center, the Hearing Examiner shall make a finding that the sign plan is proportionate to the intensity of the major commercial or employment center and consistent with the intent of this code. [Ord. 726 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019.]