CR 96-176 Termination Of Sign Grant Program40
October 29, 1996
Proposed Action
• Primary Issues to Consider
Y
O
TERMINATION OF' SIGN GRANT PROGRAM
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move to discontinue the Sign Chant Program.
With this action, the Sign Grant Program would be terminated. There would be the ability to
reinstate the program at some future date .
Overview
The Signage Improvement & Maintenance Grant Program started in 1986. Earlier this year, the
Council discussed modifying the program to include the following:
o Expand the boundaries to include other areas of the City
o Provide funding totaling 25 percent instead of 50 percent
o Change eligibility requirements
o Did the Sign Grant Program achieve its goals?
Staff feels the quality of signage has not improved since the Sign Grant Program was
implemented. It is felt that most of the signs would have been financed whether or not the
Sign Grant Program existed.
Council Report 96 -176
During a work session on October 8, 1996, the majority of the City Council expressed an interest in
terminating the Sign Grant Program. The HBCA was informed of the Council's interest in
terminating the program.
o Are there other sources of funding available for signs?
Yes, most signs qualify for funding through the Facade Grant Program, with the exception of
pylon and pole signs.
Supporting Documents
o Proposed revisions from Council Report 96 -127, dated August 6, 1996
Alternatives
The City Council has the following alternatives regarding this matter:
Approve the action as recommended by staff.
Continue the Sign Grant Program. Under this alternative the Council needs to decide on the
revisions
Continue the item for additional information.
ator
Following are proposed revisions from Council Report 96 -127, dated August 6, 1996:
o Provide funding totaling 25 percent, rather than 50 percent, of the total cost of signage
improvements. Staff and FIBCA Economic Development Committee discussed that by
reducing the percentage of grant, more businesses would be able to receive the benefit
of this program
o Change the boundaries of the program from its current area of generally First Street
North to First Street South between Shady Oak Road and Washington Avenue - -to the
area identified as the "redevelopment project area," as identified in Exhibit A, attached
to this report. A building applying for a signage improvement grant must also be
located within any of the business or industrial zoning classifications. The City's
redevelopment attorney —Bob Deike—indicated that the boundaries of the
redevelopment project area would be the limits of where the City could provide Sign
Grants. This relates to the funding mechanism for the program being tax increment
financing, and the regulations regarding the use of that tool to provide signage
improvement grants.
• The following would be ineligible improvements under the revised sign grant program
- Plastic/Lexan panel or vacuum- formed signage (or any derivative of these types of
products) with the exception of plastic - lettered signs where each letter is individually
placed on the building
Staff is recommending that these types of signs, as listed above, be ineligible under the
new program. In support of this, staff would provide a package of alternative signage
that could be provided to a perspective applicant, which would be eligible for a Sign
Grant This package would not include any of the ineligible signage as indicated above,
but rather provide a number of alternative types of signage.