COUNCIL ACTION FORM

SIGNAGE FOR CHURCHES IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES

At the September 8, 2026, City Council meeting, the Council referred to staff a letter from Jason Dietzenbach requesting a text amendment regarding allowable signage for religious institutions in residential zones. A memo from staff regarding the issue was reviewed at the September 22, 2026, meeting and the City Council asked for the item to be placed on a future agenda. The memo, which for comparison purposes described the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) and Convenience General Services (CGS) standards for signs, is attached.

If the City Council is interested in a text amendment to allow a greater amount of signage area for use types listed in Sec. 21.121(2) including schools, churches and fraternities/sororities, staff recommends addressing a few specific concerns:

1. Lot Size. Some smaller lots may not need the extra sign square footage. Lots that exceed four acres tend to have a need more proportionate to the size of the lot. Staff recommends creating a differentiation based on lot size rather than the lot's location on a non-arterial or arterial street.
   
   
2. Lighting. Digital signs have become more popular, but may not be compatible with the residential neighborhood in many instances. The external lighting standard for the NC zone is most compatible with residential areas. Staff recommends the Council provide specific direction for staff to bring back standards for electronic message signs at a future Council meeting instead of trying to incorporate them into this amendment for size.
   
   
3. Sign Height. Staff recommends limiting the sign height on buildings so that any external illumination would not cause concerns for neighboring properties. A standard of 16 feet in height or no taller than the roof line of the structure, whichever is less, would be sufficient.

To encompass these concerns, staff recommends a specific motion including these items. For example:

"Utilize the CGS Zoning standards for sites greater than four acres if the signs are not internally illuminated (this includes electronic message signs) and the sign is not above the roof line of the structure or 16 feet above grade, whichever is less." This recommendation would allow for 34 square foot signs on all streets and up to 70 square feet along an arterial street.

The recommendation above would allow the sign proposed by Lutheran Church of Hope of up to 70 square feet to be permitted. It would continue to limit sites with smaller lot areas of less than 4 acres to the currently allowed 16 square feet.

1. Direct staff to draft a text amendment that utilizes the CGS Zoning standards for sites greater than four acres if the signs are not internally illuminated (this includes electronic message signs) and the sign is not above the roof line of the structure or 16 feet above grade, whichever is less.
   
   
2. Direct staff to draft a text amendment that utilizes the NC Zoning standards for sites greater than four acres if the signs are not internally illuminated (this includes electronic message signs) and the sign is not above the roof line of the structure or 16 feet above grade, whichever is less.
   
   This approach would limit the HOPE church to a maximum of 34 square feet, which is less than the 70 square feet that is requested.
   
   
3. Direct staff to return with proposed standards regarding digital displays and sign lighting in residential zones.

The standards within the Sign Code are very dated and most have not been updated since the 1990s. Staff is supportive of adopting the standards that currently apply to Neighborhood Commercial and Convenience General Services zones into the Sign Code to apply to all building uses listed in Sec. 21.121(2) (public, educational, charitable, fraternal or religious institutions, or privately owned parks, when such signs are located on the premises of such institution) when the uses are on larger sites. However, staff believes smaller sites, such as typical fraternity and sorority sites, do not warrant larger signage. In addition, staff believes that there is a need to add limitations to the digital displays within residential zones. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve either Alternative No. 1 or No. 2 and Alternative No. 3, as described above.