Our partners at the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) have been working to coordinate a response to Los Angeles’ effort to further regulate signs in the City. The Planning Department recently shared a Draft Sign Ordinance that they plan to put before the Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) in mid-April. Working within that short time-frame, Planning has agreed to hold an outreach meeting with the business community to take input on the ordinance on Thursday, March 31 from 12-2pm at City Hall (room TBD).
While the business community is encouraged that the ordinance represents a good effort to tie-together existing law and update it (to be in conformance with recent court decisions), it does raise substantive issues that cause concern. For example:
14.4.27: Violations and Administrative Civil Penalties (p. 37-39): Proposed penalties are extreme/severe, with even the smallest signs incurring penalties of $2,000-$8,000 per day
2. Size of SUD (p. 3): SUDs must be at least 15 acres. This seems too large, particularly in a dense/downtown area where development tends to go “up” and not “out”. We need to have the ability to make smaller SUDs to provide flexibility in urban context
3. 14.4.29: Right of Private Action (p. 41): Allows the owner or occupant of real property, within 500 feet of a sign, to sue for damages.
If you would like to review the language of the proposed ordinance, attend the meeting or submit written comments, please let me know and I will help you make your voice heard.