18.60.060 Permitted Identification Signs for Places of Business.
In addition to the affiliation, directional, nameplate, window, tenant directory, and other exempt signs, each place of business (other than a home occupation and a business or use located in a multitenant office or mixed use building with more than one story) shall be permitted identification signing pursuant to the limitations of this section and Larkspur Municipal Code Section 18.60.100. Home occupations shall be permitted identification signing pursuant to Larkspur Municipal Code Section 18.60.080. For any identification sign subject to Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission approval (i.e., signs exceeding six (6) square feet, or signs approved under a coordinated signing program), more restrictive limitations upon the number, mode of display, size, height and illumination may be imposed instead of those stated in subsections (B) through (G) of this section. Prior to imposing more restrictive limitations, the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission must first find that the action is necessary to meet the design criteria of subsection (H) of this section. Further, the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission shall state how the proposed sign fails to meet the design criteria, and how the more restrictive limitations will implement those criteria. The signing limitations are as follows:
A. Multitenant Office or Mixed Use with More Than One Story. Where a business or use is located in a multiple-tenant office building, or mixed use building with more than one story, and/or where such business or use has no primary business facade, or is located on a floor above or below the ground floor level, identification shall be limited to a listing on a tenant directory sign mounted at the building entry and a tenant listing on the business center sign constructed in conformance with Larkspur Municipal Code Section 18.60.070.
B. Number.
1. Except as further delineated in subsection (B)(2) of this section, each place of business may be permitted a maximum of one identification sign for each business facade, up to a maximum of four (4) signs per place of business (one sign per business facade).
2. Either one primary identification sign or a primary identification wall sign and an architectural sign feature may be permitted on the designated primary business facade. The combined square footage of the sign and architectural sign feature shall not exceed that permitted for a primary identification wall sign.
3. One secondary identification sign may be permitted on any secondary business facades.
C. Mode of Display.
1. Primary identification signs may be a freestanding, projecting, or wall sign.
2. Secondary identification signs may be a projecting or wall sign only.
3. Signs shall not be erected upon a business facade other than that which creates the sign entitlement, and a freestanding sign shall not be oriented toward a street frontage other than that faced by the business facade creating the entitlement.
D. Size of Projecting and Freestanding Signs.
1. A primary projecting or freestanding sign may be a maximum of either one square foot per three (3) lineal feet of business facade, or fifty (50) square feet, whichever is less.
2. Secondary projecting identification signs may be permitted a maximum of fifty (50) percent of the size that would be permitted a primary sign.
E. Size of Wall Signs.
1. A maximum of either one square foot of identification signing per one lineal foot of the primary business facade, or one hundred (100) square feet, whichever is less, may be permitted a primary wall identification sign; except that any primary business facade shall be permitted at least ten (10) square feet of signing for a primary wall identification sign.
2. Secondary wall identification signs may be permitted a maximum of fifty (50) percent of the size that would be permitted a primary sign for the facade.
F. Height. Sign height shall be subject to the following limitations:
1. The maximum height of freestanding signs shall be ten (10) feet measured from finish grade elevation at the sign base to the uppermost part of the sign or supporting structure.
2. The uppermost part of a projecting sign, wall sign or architectural sign feature shall not exceed the lowest part of the roof structure corresponding to the wall upon which the sign is erected.
3. Unless otherwise authorized by the Public Works Department, a minimum ground clearance of eight (8) feet shall be required for any sign, or architectural sign feature, projecting over a pedestrian walkway.
G. Illumination. Sign illumination shall be subject to the following limitations:
1. Except when proposed in writing and expressly approved, the light source shall not be visible from any off-site point or any on-site pedestrian or vehicular accessway;
2. External light sources shall be directed and shielded to prevent direct illumination of any object other than the sign;
3. Illumination intensity shall be less than that which causes glare to be reflected upon any adjacent property or public street;
4. Illuminated signs shall not exceed the illumination level of their visual background to the extent of causing diversion of a motorist’s attention from the path of travel;
5. As a condition of sign permit approval, the Zoning Administrator may require and perform a post-installation intensity inspection to occur within sixty (60) days of installation completion, and the Zoning Administrator may require alteration of the light intensity or the method of illumination if found necessary to implement these illumination limitations.
H. Design. The location of the sign on the site or building, the sign colors, shape, finish materials and the arrangement thereof shall be designed to be architecturally a part of, and not in conflict with, the shape and mass of the building materials, form, the color and composition of exterior building, and the location of architectural elements such as doors, windows, canopies and rooflines of the building to which the sign refers, and of adjacent buildings and signs. Readerboard designs shall be permitted only after a finding has been made by the Zoning Administrator that use of changeable copy will not conflict with these design criteria.
I. Coordinated Signing Program. Identification signs for places of business located within a shopping center and all center identification signs may be designed and approved pursuant to a coordinated signing program that has been approved by the Planning Commission. An application for approval of a coordinated sign program shall be made to the Planning Department and shall include the information described in Larkspur Municipal Code Sections 18.60.040(A) through (F).
The establishment of a sign program may allow flexibility in the application of the sign standards and provisions contained in this chapter under certain circumstances, as follows:
1. Purpose. Sign programs are specifically intended for unique use and property circumstances with the purpose of addressing multiple uses on one site or multiple signs for uses with special sign needs. Sign programs shall be used to achieve aesthetic compatibility between the signs within a project, and may allow some flexibility in the number, size, type and placement of signs; however, a sign program may not propose the use of prohibited signs listed under Larkspur Municipal Code Section 18.60.100.
2. Applicability. Sign programs are permitted specifically for business centers, shopping centers, gasoline or fueling stations, automobile or vehicle dealerships and movie theatres only. Sign programs shall not be used for other uses or conditions with the intent to deviate from the provisions of this chapter.
3. Design. Sign programs shall be designed to ensure all signs will have a compatible or cohesive design theme while allowing for individual identity and creative sign design, and shall provide specific criteria such as permitted placement, materials, size, number, colors and illumination.
4. Findings Required for Approval of a Sign Program. The Planning Commission/Zoning Administrator shall make the following findings in rendering a decision on a sign program:
a. All of the signs contained in the program will have one or more common design elements such as permitted placement, materials, illumination, sign type, letter size and letter type.
b. All of the signs contained in the program are in harmony and scale with the materials, architecture, and other design features of buildings and property improvements they identify; and
c. The amount and placement of signage contained in the program is in scale with the subject property and improvements, as well as the immediately surrounding area. (Ord. 1030 § 2(12), 2018; Ord. 974 § 1, 2010; Ord. 953 § 1(70), 2007; Ord. 933 § 3, 2004; Ord. 857 § 8, 1993; Ord. 580 § 1 (part), 1977)