18.55.190 Temporary signs – ROW and public spaces

18.55.190 Temporary signs – ROW and public spaces.

(1) Right-of-Way. Except as prohibited pursuant to CMC 18.55.050, temporary signs may be placed in the right-of-way if they meet all the following standards:

(a) Noncommercial Copy. All temporary noncommercial copy signs in public right-of-way shall abide by subsections (1)(c) through (1)(i) of this section, and shall not be limited in quantity or duration;

(b) Commercial Copy. All temporary commercial copy signs in public right-of-way shall abide by subsections (1)(c) through (1)(i) of this section, and shall:

(i) Be limited in quantity to no more than six signs per open house, business, or event at any time;

(ii) Be limited for display from sunrise to sunset and only when an owner, agent, or employee is on site and the open house, business, or event location is open to the public;

(iii) Be allowed to be displayed up to seven days per week;

(iv) Require a temporary sign permit. The temporary sign permit for temporary commercial signs displayed in public ROW shall be valid for 365 days from the date of sign issuance;

(d) The sign shall not be placed in medians, traffic islands, roundabouts, or other areas within the roadway;

(e) The sign shall not be placed on a sidewalk or obstruct pedestrian or wheelchair access to the sidewalk;

(f) The sign shall not be placed in parking spaces or identified pedestrian or bicycle routes;

(g) The sign shall be placed entirely outside of the sight-distance-triangle of a right-of-way corner, curb-cut, or drive entrance pursuant to the City’s Design and Construction Standards adopted under Chapter 12.60 CMC. Where no curb exists, the sign must be placed outside the roadway at least five feet from the edge of the roadway;

(h) The sign shall be no larger than 12 square feet in size, with no single sign face larger than six square feet in size, and no portion of the sign shall exceed three feet in height; and

(i) The sign shall remain portable and may not be attached or anchored in any way to trees or to public property including, but not limited to, utility or light poles, utility boxes, street signs, parking meters, fences, or pavement.

(2) Street Pole Banners and String Lights. Temporary banner signs and string lights may be placed on public right-of-way if they meet all the following standards:

(a) Banners across Public Right-of-Way. All temporary banner signs located over public right-of-way shall:

(i) Only be allowed across SE 272nd Street on permanent sign poles designed specifically to display banners;

(ii) Display noncommercial copy only;

(b) Banners Placed on Street Light Poles. All temporary banner signs displayed on street light poles in public right-of-way shall:

(i) Only be allowed in the (TC) town center, (MC) mixed commercial, (GC) general commercial, (MHO) mixed housing/office, and RCMU (regional commercial mixed use) zoning districts;

(ii) Only be attached to street light poles with brackets designed for the display of signs;

(iii) Display noncommercial copy only;

(iv) Require a temporary sign permit;

(v) Be limited in duration to 365 days per permit;

(vi) Be limited in quantity to 75 banners per applicant;

(vii) Only be installed and maintained by City staff or the street light pole owner, with all installation, maintenance, and removal costs paid by the applicant;

(i) Only be placed on street trees that have an electrical outlet at the base of the tree. Electrical cords or string lights shall not cross any roadway, sidewalk, planter strip, or undeveloped right-of-way, and shall not be strung from tree to tree or from a tree to any structure or private property;

(ii) Shall not flash or blink;

(iii) Shall be outdoor rated string lights only;

(iv) Shall only be allowed with the approval of the adjacent property owner;

(v) Shall require a right-of-way use permit if placement or removal of the string lights will affect street traffic.

(3) Public Spaces. Temporary signs shall not be placed in any public park, trail, open space, or other public space, except for those signs placed by the City, which signs shall only display noncommercial copy. (Ord. 08-18 § 2 (Exh. A))