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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem H-3 Ordinance: Billboards`~~~Y . ~. ~1~.. _. 3 : ~k. . .,^n S`~,• ~~°~~ , >:~ ~. Y~~ **4 .'.. .:'1. `-' ~# .wu~~ ` ~ , v ~ ~ ~ ~ City of Miami Ga~dens ~~~~ 1515 NW 167`h Street, Bldg. 5, Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 Mayor Shirley Gibson Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon II Councilman Melvin L. Bratton Councilman Aaron Campbell Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett Councilwoman Barbara Watson Councilman Andre Williams To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members From: Jay Marder, AICP, Development Services Director Thru: Dr. Danny O. Crew, City Manager Date: January 10, 2006 Re: Ordinance to Prohibit Billboards and Other Off Premise Advertising Summarv Applicant: City of Miami Gardens Area: City Limits ' Requested Action(s): Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Code to Ban Additional Billboards and other Off-Premise Advertising Background The City has taken several actions to consider matters related to billboards and other off-premise advertisement. On June 14, 2006, the City enacted Ordinance 06-12-93 as a temporary, 180-day billboard moratorium. That moratorium was set to expire approximately mid-December. On December 13, 2006 the City adopted Ordinance 2006-23-104 to extend the billboard moratorium. Copies of the ordinances are attached. The City Council held a special workshop to discuss billboards on November 14, 2006. A copy of the staff report provided to the City Council is attached. The report outlined existing billboards in the City, existing billboard regulations, the City's Vision and plans related to signs, and various alternatives to regulating billboards. In addition, the City Attorney provided a memorandum which discussed the legal implications of prohibiting billboards. These materials are attached. Prior to the workshop, correspondence addressed to all known billboard companies informed them of the workshop. Copies of such correspondence are attached. Several representatives of billboard companies attended the workshop meeting and provided comments. After due consideration and discussion, the City Council decided to pursue a policy of banning new, additional billboards within Miami Gardens. H-3) ORDINANCE 1ST READING BILLBOARDS City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 2 of 8, January 10, 2006 Recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance to prohibit and otherwise ban new billboards and other off-premise advertisements within the City of Miami Gardens. Attachments: Ordinance 06-12-93 Ordinance 2006-23-104 Staff Report for November 14, 2006 Workshop Memarandum Dated November 1 l, 2006 from City Attorney Letters to Billboard Companies Ordinance City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 3 of 8, January 10, 2006 Ordinance 06-12-93 ORDINANCE Na. 06-12-93 AN ORDINANCE OF THE C{TY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF M{AM! GARDENS, FLORlDA, ADOPTING A M~RATORIUM ON THE PROCESSING OF CL.ASS C COMMERCIAL SIrNS (BILLB~ARDS) fNC~UDING BUT N~T LIMITED TO SlTE PLANS, BUfLDING, PLUMBiNG, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PERMITS, DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND ORDERS, AND ANY RELATED ACTIONS AND/OR APPROVALS FOR SUGH SIGNS WITHIN THE CfTY, PRC)VID[NG FOR A TERM; PROVfDING FOR EXCEPTIONS; PROVIDING FOR A STUDY(S): PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS, REPEALfNG ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFL(CT, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY GLAUSE; PRQViDfNG FOR INCl.US10N IN CODE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, pursuant to Sec#ian 8 3 af the Charter, the City af Miami Gardens regula#es zaning and land use through the Miami Dade County Zoning Code, and WHEREAS, on ~ctober 18, 20Q5, the Miami Dade County Commissian revised its Zoning CocJe in a manner that would permit additional billboards to be located in the City of Miami Gardens (Section 33-107 Class C Commerciaf Signs}, and WHEREAS, the City is in the process af adapting its first Comprehensive Devefopment Master Plan that wil! provide the basis for the City to develop its own Zaning Code, and WHEREAS, the City has ~ecently rece#ved a Design Institute Report from the Florida Pubiic 4fficials Design Institute at Abacoa in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University's Center far Urban and Environmental Solutians that outlines future development, design and a general vision for the Palmetto Expressway Corridor, and, WHEREAS, the City recently cammenced the State Road 7 Livability Study which will consider fut~are devefopment and design of the Stafe Road 7/US Highway 441 commercial and industria[ transportation corridor, and, Paqe 1 (Jrdinance No 06 -12-93 WHEREAS, the City anticipates receiving a grant in 2006 firom the Florida Depar~ment of State to define significant architecture and related cammunity design in the City and recommend methods to preserve and enhance same, and, WHEREAS, the City is concemed that an uncontrolled proliferatian of Class C Signs/Billhoards within the City would resuft in a negative visual impact, and, WHEREAS, after the City's Camprehensive Deveiopment Master Plan is adopted, detailed zoning and design code criteria and standards wilf need to be developed, and WHEREAS, a morat~rium should be established in order to permit the City to camplete and agree upon a comprehensive vision for the urban clesign and reguEatory concepts for the City's major ~ransportation corridors and then prepare and adopt the accompanying regulatians to imp(ement that vision, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT 4RDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCfL ~F THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA as foliows: SECTtON 1 ADOPTfON OF REPRESENTATfONS: The faregaing Whereas Clauses are hereby eatified and confirmed as being true, and the same are hereby made a specif~ part of this Ordinance. SECTION 2.. ESTAB~fSHMENT OF MORATORIUM. A moratorium on Class C Signs (Billboards) is hereby established for a period of one hundred and eighfy (180} days from the effective date of this ~rdinance The moratorium covers the ~rocessing of all site plans, development applications and orders, building, p(umbing, electrical and mechanical permits for Class C Signs, subject to the pravisions of Sec#ion 3 herein Except as otherwise provided herein, no department of the Ciry shall issue any permits, devefopment orders, ar undertake the review and approvai af any site plans, building Paqe 2 Ordinance No, 06 -12-93 permits, or development plans with respect to such uses within the City, du~ing the term of the moratarium established hereby. SECTfON 3. EXEMPTIQN The moratarium established hereby shall nat apply to the foflowing~ a) Building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits for the repair of lawfully existing Class C Signs (Billboards) b) The renewal of a previously existing bu+iding, plumbing, mechanical or etectrical permits for a lawfully existing Class C Signs (Bilfboards). SECTION 4~ STUDY AND CITY MANAGER: The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to coordinate with the City's consuftants, as well as such other de~artments of the City, as the City Manager shall deem appropriate to canduct necessary studies of Class C Commercial Signs (Billboards) within the City of Miami Gardens, and ta determine the most appropriate geographic area(s) if any for the location of such signs, in light of the City's future re-development plans. The City Manager shall report back to the Mayor and City Council the res~~lts of any studies. SECTION 5: CONFL[CT: All ardinances or Cade provisions in conffic~ herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 6 SEVERABILITY: If any section, subsecfion, sentence, clause, phrase or portion af this Ordinance is far any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portian shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall n~t affect the validity of the remaining pc~rtions of this Ordinance. SECTiON 7. fNCLUSI~N fN CODE: ft is the intention ~f the City Councii of the City af Miami Gardens that the provisions of this OrdinanGe shalf become and be made a part of the Code of Ordinances af the City of Miami Gardens and that the sections ~f this ~rdinance may be renumbered or reiettered and the ward "~rdinance" may be changed Pac~e 3 Ordinance No. 06 -12-93 ta "Chapter," "Sectian," "Article" or such other appropriate ward or phrase, the use of which shall accomp{ish the intentions herein expresseci; pravided, however, that Section 1 hereof or the provisions contemplated thereby sha(I nat be codified SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE; This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon i#s fnal passage. PASSED ON F(RST READING ON THE 24th DAY OF MAY 2Q06 ADC?PTED AND PASSED BY THE CITY C~UNCiL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE 14~`' DAY OF .lUNE, 2QQ6 ~ ~ ~ ATTEST: iLL/ ~ ~ ~ HIRLEY/(CI ~ ON, AYOR ~ ~.T ~ -_,,--, C~": ,~~ RONETTA TAYLQ , CMC, CITY CLERK Prepared by SON.tA K. DICKENS, ESQ. City Attorney SPONSORED BY: DANNY O. CREW ClTY MANAGER MOVED BY: Vice Mavor Braynon SECONDED BY: Councilwoman Watson VOTE: 7-Q Mayor Gibson x (Yes) ~(No) Vice Mayor ~scar Braynon, III x (Yes) T{No) Councilman Melvin L. Bratton x (Yes) _(No) Councifman Aaran Campbell x (Yes) ~(No) Councilman Ulysses Harvard x (Yes) _(No) Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett x (Yes) _(No) Cc~~~nci{waman Barbara Watsan x (Yes) _{No) 1 aa i 9b_~ Qoc Paqe 4 City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 4 of 8, January 10, 2006 Ordinance 2006-23-104 ORDINANCE No 20Q6-23-144 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCfL OF THE CITY OF MfAMI GARDENS, FL~RIDA, EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON THE PR~CESSfNG OF CLASS C COMMERCIAL SIGNS (BiLLBOARDS~, INCLUDING BUT NQT L(MITED TO, SITE PLANS, BUILD(NG, PLUMBING, MECHANICAl. AND ELECTRiCAL PERMITS, DEVEL~PMENT APPL(CATfONS AND ORDERS, AND ANY RELATED ACTlONS AND/OR APPROVALS FOR SUCH SIGNS WfTHIN THE CITY FOR AN ADDITIONAL NINETY (9~) DAY PERIOD; PR~VIDING FOR A TERM; PROVfD1NG FOR EXGEPTI4NS; PROVIDING FOR A STUDY(S): PRUVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATlC?NS; REPEALiNG ALL ORDENANCES 1N CONFLICT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVfDING FOR lNCLUSIQN iN CODE; PROVlDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, pursuant ta Sectian 8 3 of the Charter, the Ciry of Miami Gardens reg~alates zoning and land use through the Miami Dade County Zoning Code, and WHEREAS, on October 18, 20Q5, the Miami Dade County Commission revised its Zoning Code in a manner that would permit additional bilfbaards to be located in the City of Miami Gardens (Section 33-107. Class C Commercial Signs), and WHEREAS, the Ci~y is in the process of adopting its first Comprehensive Development Master Pfan that wifl provide the basis for the City to devefop its own Zoning Cocfe, anc~ WHEREAS, the City received a Design lnstitute Report €rom the Florida Pubfic Officiafs Design lnstitute at Abacoa in collabara~ion with Florida Atlantic University's Center for Urban and Environmenfal SoEutions that outlines future development, design and a general vision for the Palmet~o Expressway Corridor, and, WHEREAS, the City commenced the State Road 7 Livability Study which will consider future develapment and design af the State Road 7/US Highway 441 Paae 1 Ordinance No. 2006-23-104 cammercial and industrial transpartation corridor, and, WHEREAS, the City anticipates receiving a grant in 2006 from the Flarida Department of State to define significant architecture and related community design in the City anci recammend metf~ods to preserve and enhance same, and, WHEREAS, the Cify is concerned that an un~antrolied proliferation of Class C Signs/Billboards within the Gity would resuft in a negative visual impact, and, WHEREAS, after the City's Camprehensive Develapment Master Plan is adopted, detailed zoning and design code ~riteria and standards will need to be developed, and WHEREAS, an June 44, 2006, the City enacted ~rdinanc;e 06-12-93 as a temporary, 18~-day bi[Iboard maratorium, and WHEREAS, the moratarium will expire approximately Decembe~ 11, 2006, and WHEREAS, the City plans to host a workshop on the Moratorium an November 14, 2006, to determine whether an Ordinance to amend the Class C Signs/Billboard regulations, and WHEREAS, the moratorium should be extended ta permit the workshop to take place and to give City staff the opportunity ta draft appropriate regufations if deemed necessary by the City Council, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT URDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CfTY ~F MlAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA as follows: SECTfON 1. ADOPTION O~ REPRESENTATIOIVS: The foEegc~ing Whereas Clauses are hereby ratified and canfirmed as being true, and the same are hereby made a s~ecific part of this Ordinance. PaQe 2 Ardinance No. 2006-23-104 SECTION 2 EXTENSIQN OF MORATORlUM: The moratorium on Class C Signs (Bil[boards) that was established pursuant ta Ordinance Q6-12-93, is hereby extended for an additional period of ninety (90) days, fram December 11, 20Q6. The mpratorium covers the processing af all site plans, development appiications and orders, buifding, plumbing, electrical and mechanical permi#s for Class C Signs, subject to the provisions of Section 3 herein. Except as otherwise provided herein, no department ~f the City shaf( issue any permits, develppment orders, or undertake the review and approval of any site plans, building permits, or development plans with respect to such uses within the City, during the term of the moratorium estab(ished hereby. SECTfON 3. EXEMPTI~N: The maratorium established hereby shall not apply ta the fallawing: a} Building, plumbing, mechanical and electricaf permits for the repair of lawfully existing Class C Signs {Billboards}. b) The renewa4 of a previoi.~sfy existing building, plumbing, rnechanica( or electricaf permits fior a lawfully existing Cfass C Signs (Billboards}. SECTE4N 4: STUDY AND CITY MANAGER: The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to coordinate with the City's consu(tants, as well as such other departments of the City, as the City Manager shall deem appropriate to conduct necessary studies of Class C Commercia( Signs (Billboards) within the City of Miami Gardens, and t~ determine the most appropriate geographic area(s) if any for the location of such signs, in light of the City`s future re-develapment plans. The Cify Manager shall report back to the Mayor and City Counci( the resufts of any studies. SECTlQN 5: C4NFLICT~ Afl ordinances or Code provisions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTfON S. SEVERABILfTY: If any sec#ion, s~~bsectian, sentence, cfause, phrase or portion of this Ordinance is f~r any reason held invalid or unconstitutianal by Paqe 3 Arclinance No, 2006-23-1Q4 any caurt of campetent jurisdictian, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and inc~ependent provision and such holding shall not affect the vafidity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance SECTfON 7 lNC~USl4N IN CODE: It is the intention of tF~e City Council of the City of Miami Gardens that the pr~visions af this Ordinance shall become and be made a part of the Code of 4rdinances of the City of Miami Gardens and that the sections of this Ordinance may 6e renumbered or refettered and the word "Ordinance" may be changed to "Chapter," "Sectian," "Article" or suGh other appropriate word ar phrase, the use of which shall accomplish the intentions herein expressed; provided, however, that Section 1 hereof or the provisions contemp(ated thereby shall nat be codifred. SECTfON 8. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall became effective immediat~fy upon its final passage. PASSED ON FIRST READ(NG ON THE 25th DAY OF OCTOBER 2006, ADOPTED AND PASSED BY THE GITY C~UNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE 13t~' DAY OF DECEMBER, 2Q(?6. ~, ; ;' ' ~~ ~ ATTEST: ~ ~ , , ~ -~G^-~d-~.J ~ SHIRi.E'~ G BSON, MAYOR , ~ j: ,:L L. ~ ~._-- . > RONETI"A TAYLO MC, CITY CLERK SPONSORED BY: DANNY O. CREW CITY MANAGER M~VED BY: Vice Mayor Bravnon SECONDED BY: Councilman Bratton VOTE: 7-0 Mayor Shirley Gibson x {Yes) _(N~) Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon, fii x(Yes} (IVa) Councilman Melvin L. Bratton x(Yes) ~(No) Councilman Aaron Campbe(I, Jr x (Yes) _(No) Paqe 4 Ordinance No. 2006-23-104 Councilman Andre Wifl'tams Councifwoman Sharon Pritchett Cauncifwoman Barbara Wats~n [22146_I DOC x (Yes) x (Yes) x (Yes) Paqe 5 _(No) _(Np) _.._.(N~) City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 5 of 8, January 10, 2006 Staff Report for November 14, 2006 Workshop Page 3 of 44 ~11 ~ 71 t. 1 i~. .~ jf - / ~s'~~'~rS~ ` JI, ur ~ i~~ * 1 ~ ' ;. -. ~ ~ A~~'J ' . ~~~ o Miami ~ Ga~°dens ~n 1~ 1~ NW 167`i' Street, Bldg. 5, Suite 240 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members ~rom: Jay Marder, AICP, Development Services Director '~~ru: Dr. Danny O. Crew, City Manager ~ate: November 14, 2006 Mayor Shirley Gibson Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon II Councilman Melvin L. Bratton Councilman Aaron Campbell Councilman Andre Williams Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett Councilwoman Barbara Watson 1Ze: Billboards - Review of Regulations and Identification of Alternatives Introduction and Summarv of Catv Billboard Moratorium On June 14, 2006, the City enacted Ordinance 06-12-93 as a temporary, 180-day billboard moratorium. The Council decided to extend the moratorium because it would have expired approximately December 1 l, 2006 and not provide sufficient time to consider the issue and draft new billboard provisions. The moratorium was extended 90 days to approximately March 11, 2007. Copies of first memorandum and moratorium ordinance are attached. That ordinance instructed the City Manager to study billboard regulations and report back to the Mayor and Council. The Council established November 14, 2006 as a work session to discuss billboards. This report is intended to provide background information, alternative actions and recommendation for the Council's consideration. Existin~ Billboards In a memorandum dated June 7, 2005, the Miami County Commission considered billboards on a county-wide basis including within municipalities. Excerpts of the County Manager's memorandum are attached. An inventory of City of Miami Gardens billboards is included. The City cunently has eight (8) billboards, six of which are owned by Clear Channel, one by Viacom and one vendor unlisted. 'I he ?tta~.hed Billboard Map depicts the location of existing billboards in the City of Miami Gardens. The map also depicts certain proposed billboaxds which are discussed in a further section of this report. One of the existing billboards was noted as being in violation of code. That issue was resolved through research by the City and subsequent coordination with the County. City of Miami Gardens Page 4 of 44 Billboard Report Page 2 of 12, November 14, 2006 Miami Dade Countv Billboard Regulations and Municinalities The County's overall Sign Code, contained in the Zoning Code, provides that such regulations apply ". .. specifically in the incorporated areas of Dade County" Section 33-82(a). The billboard section of the code also states that the provisions ". .. shall apply to both the incorporated and unincorporated area. Any municipality may establish and enforce more restrictive regulations as such municipality may deem necessary." Section 33-121.11. In 2005, the county was considering an ordinance to further clarify and strengthen the code's provisions relative municipalities. The ordinance also contemplated adding extensive penalties for violations. That ordinance was never adopted. The County has indicated that it will appeal any lessening of its billboard requirements by a municipality. Currently Miami Dade County is taking enforcement action in the cities of Miami, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens and Opa Locka. Other Cities. The following information is provided regarding billboards in other cities: The City of North Miami revised its code to limit the size of signage but did not specifically mention billboards. A billboard company sued to erect 40 billboards under the revised code. In February 2006, the City of North Miami settled the suit that allows six (6) billboards to be placed on Interstate 95; the City will be paid $4,200 per month per billboard for a potential of $302,400 per year once all billboards are erected. Excerpts of the settlement agreement are attached. The permits for those six billboards have been issued. The County has questioned the issuing of any billboard permits that would not comply with the county code. The City is currently re-reviewing said permits to determine whether they comply with Miami Dade County requirements. The City of Miami's code does not allow billboards. In 2002 the City was sued by three billboard cornpanies in action that has reached the state supreme court. According to the City Zoning Administrator, two companies have settled. The company that has not settled has constructed several signs outside code and is being fined by the City. A court order provides that the billboard companies must comply with all regulations including but not limited to FDOT, Miami Dade County and the City of Miami. The City wanted to allow certain mural type signage and was negotiated with the county. Those negotiations were discontinued. As also noted above, Miami Dade County is currently enforcing the Miami Dade code within the City of Miarni. v Several cities have adopted ordinances to prohibit billboards including Aventura, Hialeah, Homestead, North Miami Beach, Pinecrest, Sunny Isles and Cutler Bay. Most cities in the county otherwise prohibit billboards. Miami Gardens is one of nine cities in the county that permit billboards. City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report Page 3 of 12, November 14, 2006 Zonin Code Standard for Sillboards Page 5 of 44 The following summary of Miami Dade Zoning Code standards for Class "C" signs, also known as billboards, is provided for general information purposes and should not be utilized for any determination. l. General: m~imum size of 14' x 48'; no more than 750 sq. ft.; min. 20' from R-O-W; min. 5' side setback; min. 15' from residential lot; min. 30' from EU or RU zone, 300 ft. if sign is oriented towards EU or RU districts; 600 ft. from another billboard on same side of street; min. 100' from schools, etc. 2. Permitted in BU-3, IU-1, IU-2 and IU-3 3. Permitted in BU-lA and BU-2 subject to cantilever construction; must be 300 ft. from any building on same lot. 4. Each site must conform to minimum lot size and frontage requirements within the respective zoning district. 5. Billboard sites cannot be improved or otherwise include buildings or other structures. 6. In BU-1 A, 2 and 3, IU-1, 2 and 3 zones, billboards cannot be closer than 600' to another Class "C" sign 7. Max. height 30' from. grade to top 8. Additional requirements within "Protected Areas" - within 600' of limited access roadways such as 826/Palmetto Expressway, Florida Turnpike and Interstate 95: • Cannot be within 600' of right of way or may be within 200' if oriented towards side street, not the limited access facility • No variances allowed in protected areas 9. Protected Area within 300 feet of Rapid Transit System right-of-way, i.e., future North Corridor MetroRail: • Must be erected and oriented to serve only streets other than Rapid Transit Systems o No closer that 300' to R-O-W ~ Only in business or commercial zones, not industrial zones ~ No larger than 15 feet in width, 50 feet in length a No more than 25 feet above existing grade • No more than 20 feet above roof • No closer than 300 feet to another such sign o No closer than 100 feet of church, school, cemetery, public park or playground a Must be at right angles to the street which they are serving and located within the front 70 feet of the lot or tract on which erected • Cannot be located on a street dead-ended by the Rapid Transit System, etc. 10. Cities can permit variances in areas that are not "protected areas." Floa-icla IDepartIInent of 'Transportat~on IZeqaair~ffients for ~illboards The Florida Department of Transportation regulates billboards. Requirements for billboards in urbanized areas such as Miami Gardens are essentially dictated by local governments. City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report Page 4 of 12, November 14, 2006 Page 6 of 44 Citv of Mia~i Gardens Pro~osed Comprehensive Plan, Comnaunatv ~ision and the P~Iffietto Expresswav The City's Community Vision, which is adopted as part of the City's Comprehensive Development Master Plan, includes a statement about signage. Under the heading, "Physical Development and Improvement," the Vision states that the City needs "better signage citywide and on major routes." The Implementation Statements further state as follows: Freestanding signage should be eliminated in favor of small monument signs coordinated with building architecture. Marquis should be uniform on strip malls. Old marquis should comply with a height limit and not be "grandfathered in." Larger shopping centers should be limited to one directory per center. .." These statements were taken directly from interested persons. They do not specifically address billboards. The community clearly favors lower and smaller monument signs versus tall, free- standing/pole signs in commercial areas. Regarding the Palmetto Expressway, the Design Study conducted by the Florida Public Officials Design Institute through Florida Atlantic University identifies signage as an important way to promote themed commercial growth. The report favors off-premise signage to include logo signs and tourist-oriented directional signs. Quoting "Scenic America," a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the nation's natural beauty, ". .. logo signs and directional sign displays are smaller and less obtrusive than billboards and generally cut advertising costs for roadside businesses." The City Council recently adopted Palmetto Expressway Design Study. Proposed Billboards. During the City's billboard moratorium, the Building Departrnent received several billboard applications, which were retu.rned to applicants. One company submitted six such applications, all of which were located along the Palmetto Expressway and all of which appeared to be non-compliant with the code. The proposed locations of those billboards are reflected on the attached Billboard Map. Overall Citv Context The question was asked in June 2006 when the billboard moratorium was established: "Does the City Council want additional billboards?" To help answer this question, the overall context of the City's various initiatives is considered as follows: Comprehensive Plan and Vision. The City anticipates adopting its first comprehensive plan on December 6, 2006. Once the plan is declared "compliant" the City will have one year to adopt new land development regulations. City staff has embarked on developing the new zoning code which will include land use regulations, landscape standards, parking criteria and a number of other elements, including but not limited to revised signage criteria. As also noted above, the Community Vision aims at beautifying the City; consistent with a general desire for better community appearance and aesthetics, the Vision focuses on signage in general, aiming towards a more restrictive approach. City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report Page 5 of 12, November 14, 2006 Alternatives Page 7 of 44 1. Alternative No. 1: Allow Billboard Moratoriu~ to Expire with No Code Changes. According to the county's inventory of billboards noted above and provided herein, the last billboard constructed in Miami Gardens was in 1992. It is therefore assumed that there are few, if any, desirable code-compliant billboard sites available within Miami Gardens. This is not surprising given that the City is, to a great extent, built out and current restrictions are limiting such as, ". .. billboard sites cannot be improved or otherwise include buildings or other structures." What effect could be anticipated by allowing the current moratorium to expire without changing the code? Billboard companies could apply for permits. As noted above, during the moratorium period, six proposed billboard permits were submitted to the City's Suilding Department and then returned without action. The location of those proposed billboards is depicted on the attached map. Upon cursory review of the proposed billboards, none appeared to comply with current regulations. Division 5, Commercial Signs on Expressway Right-of-way, Section 33-121.15 of the Zoning Code states, "No variances shall be granted through provisions of applicable regulations which will in any way conflict with or vary the provisions of this division." Therefore, applications for non-compliant billboards will be denied. 2. Alternative No. 2: Change Code to be More Restrictive or Eliminate Biliboards. The existing Zoning Code permits municipalities to adopt regulation of billboards that are more restrictive than the current requirements. The City could add restrictions including but not limited to banning new billboards. Several municipalities in the county have chosen to do so. The most recent is the Town of Cutler Bay which, in similarity to Miami Gardens, is currently operating under the Miami Dade Zoning Code. A copy of Cutler Bay's ordinance is attached. 3. Alternative No. 3: Change Code to Permit Sillboards. If the City wants to make the code less stringent, the County's position is that the City would need to formally request that the County revise its code. Additional considerations follow: ~ Revise Code to Permit More Billboards. Many potential code changes could create opportunities for additional billboard sites. For example, removing the restriction that no billboard can be on a site with a building would create additional potential sites. ~ I9evelop Billboarci Plan. If the Council desires to permit additional billboards, the City could develop a plan that could identify specific locations for billboards as well as establish a specific number for each major roadway. Such a plan could replace or otherwise modify the standards in the current zoning code. a~u~uip~0 P~~q1i?g ~~g iai~n~ s~dza~xa - ruzeiy~ ~oN - ~uauzaa~d ~uauzaj~as apo~ ~o ~dza~xa sapnj~ui - 900Z `8 i`~~Y~I Pa~~p za~a-~ za~~zuey~ ~uno~ ~u~sissd s~dza~xa - SOOZ `L a~f Pa~Ep ~p~~ouzay~ za~~uzy~ ~uno~ d~I~i P~~Qltig £6-Zi-90 '~N a~~uipzp P~ 900Z `t~i a~f Pa~~P ~P~~~~aY~I :s~uauzq~~e~d •sp.e~oqi)iq ~iqayo.~d o~ apoa ~a~~s aq~ paaw~ ~~~ ac~; ~~q~ puatnuaoaa~ 'SP-TeoQtI?g Ieuot~iPPd ~ut~iuuad ~£ P~ `SP~OQIIIg ~uTUU~eg ~o suoi~~u~sa~ zau~r-3 (Z `on~ sn~e~S (i :a.~E pautj~.no sani~EU.~a~j~ ~is~q auZ •~oazau~ suoi~~e~ijduzi au~ ssn~sip pue a~~u~is u~ns ~ui}zjn~a.z o~ sani~~uza~jE .~ofeuz I~zanas autl~no `a~eu~is p.reoqljiq o~ pa~~Ia~ sa~u~~sum~.zi~ ~uazzn~ au~ urejdxa o~ si ~oda~ stu~ ~o asodznd aqZ uoasnjauo~/ ewwns '~7~ ~O $ a~E:c~ 900Z `t 1~aqcuano~ `Z I,~0 9 a~Ed ~aoda~ P~~911?fl suap.~ErJ iwEty~ ~}o ~1~~ £6-ZI-90 'olel a~u~uTp.~p P~~ 900Z ~bi aunr pa~~p tunpu~.~ou~ay~ '~'~ ~O ~ ~~~~ 900Z `~b I laquianoN `Z l 3° L a~Ed ~oda~ p1EOq1 ~ i g suap.~E~ -u~-y~ ~o ~!~ Page 10 of 44 ~l ~ O,~~ZGZYI'I'l Z ~G~1'°~~~,~ 1~ 15 NW I 67`h Street, Bldg. 5, Suife 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 ,~;~'u=~~u~~J. Mayor Sh:; ley Gibson ~-~~ ~.~'., Vice NIa or Oscar Braynon I1 ~ ~~:`~:-: Y ;~-~ _ : .;;~ ~ Councitman Melvin L. Bratton _ ._y:;;:~ Councilman Aaron Campbell -_ - Councilwoman Utysses Harvard '~_'~~~,~~~.::; ''~ Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett - Councilwoman Barbara t, fatson N.1~VIORAI~IDI~1~1 To: Mayor and City Council Fram: Dr. Datuly O. Crew Date: June I4, 2046 Subject: Temporary Moratorium - Off-Premise Advertising Signs Over the past se:~eral mo~ ~t"s, the City has received a significant nurnber oT i^yuiries concerning bil(boards in the City. A city's biliboard policy is almost always a major policy question in most cities. The Miami-Dade Zoning code allows billboards in certain zoning district under certain circumstances. Because the recent activity indicates that permits may be pending, I have directed the City's Development Services Director to prepare a review of the issue. Pursuant to that, I have issued an administrative order prohrbiting the processing ar issuance of any permits for bi(Ibaards, except repairs to existing boards, until such time as City Council can address the issue. ~. Before you now is an ordinance that wi11 formally implement this maratorium. There are essentially two questions that need to be addressed: First, does City Councii want additional billboards in the City? If the answer is no, then staff will draft the appropriate changes to the zoning code to prohibif such off-premise advertising. If the answer is yes or maybe, then staff would (ike to prepare recommendations to the Council fo~ changes in the code that will address the location, size, manner oT approval and other such considerations, prior to opening up the permit process again. It is estimated that fhis will take from three to six months. RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the ordinance declaring the temporary moratorium. I-1) O1~DINAI~C~ 21`'D READING B~.LBOAR~S Page 11 of 44 ORDfNANCE No. 06-12-93 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY CQUNCIL OF THE CfTY OF NI(AM! GARDENS, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A NE~RATORlUM ~N THE PROCESSING OF CLASS C COMMERCIAL SIGNS (BILLBOARDS} fNCLUDiNG BUT NOT LIMITED TO SITE PL4NS, BUftDiNG, PLUMBfNG, MECHANfCAL AND ELECTRICAL PERMfTS, DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND ORDERS, AND ANY RELATED ACTiONS AND/OR APPROVALS FOR SUCH SIGNS W[THIN THE CfTY; PROVIDING FOR A TERM; PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTI~NS; PROVIDING FOR A STUDY(S): PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIflNS; REPEAL{NG ALL ORD{NANCES (N CONFLICT; PROViDfNG A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PR4VIDENG FOR iNCLUSfON {N CODE; PROV{DING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 8.3 af the Charter, the City of Miami Gardens reg~~lates zoning ar~d land use through the Miami Dade County Zaning Code, and WHEREAS, an Octaber 18, 2005, the Miami Dade County Commission revised its Zoning Code in a manner that wauld permit additianaf billboards to be located in the City of Miami Gardens (Section 33-1Q7. Class C Commercial Signs}, and WHEREAS, the City is in the process of adopting its first Comprehensive Developme~t Master Plan that will provide the basis for the Giry to develop its own Zoning Code, and WHEREAS, the Ci~y has recently received a Design Institute Report frorr~ the Florida Pub(ic Officiais Design lnstitute at Abacoa in collaboration with F}arida Atlantic University's Center for Urban and Environmental Salutians that out(ines future development, design and a general vision for the Palmetto Expressway Corridor, and, WHEFtEAS, the City recently commenced the State Road 7 Livability Study wh~ch wtll consider f~ure c~Pve{apment and design of the State Road 7/US Highway 441 commercial and industrial transportation corridor, and, Paqe 1 Page 12 of 44 Grdinance ~ao 06 -12-93 WHERF 4S, the City anticipates receiving a grant in 2006 fram the Florida Depa~ment af State to define significant architecture and refated community design in the City and recommend methods to preserve and enhance same, and, WHERF~S, the City is concerned that an uncontralled praliferation af Class C Signs/Billboards within the City would resu(t in a negative visual impact, and, WHEREAS, after the City's Comprehensive Development Master Plan is adopted, detailed zoning and design code criteria and standards will need to be develaped, and WHEREAS, a mc~ratoriurn shoufd be established in order to permit the City to camplete and agsee upon a comprehensive vision for the urban design and regulatory concepts for the City's major fransportation corridors and then prepare and adopt the accompanyirtg regulatians to imp~ement that vision, NOW, THEREFORE, BE (T ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF M(ANl1 GARDENS, FLORIDA as follows: SECTfON 1 ADOPT(ON QF REPRESENTATIONS: The foregoing Whereas Clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as k~eing true, and ~he same are hereby made a specific part of this Ordinance. SECTION 2_ ESTABLfSHMENT OF ~VIORATORIUM. A moratorium on Class C Signs (Billboards) is hereby established for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days from the effective date of this ordinance. The maratorium covers the processing of all site plans, deve(opment applications arrd orders, building, p(urnbing, eiectrical and mechanical permits for Class C Signs, subject to the provisions of Section 3 here~n Except as otherwise provided herein, no department of the Ciiy shall issue any permits, development orders, or undertake the review and appraval af any site plans, building Paqe 2 Page 13 of 44 Ordinance No. D6 -12-93 permits, or develapment plans with respect to such uses witF~in the City, during the term of ihe moratorium established hereby SECTfON 3_ EXEMPTION. The moratorium estabiished hereby shall not apply to the fo!{owing: a) Bu~lding, plumbing, mechanicai and electrical permits for the repair of lawfully existing Class C Signs (Biltboards) b) The renewal of a previously existing buiiding, plumbing, mechanica! or electricaf permits for a lawfully existing Class C Signs (Biilboards). SECTION 4~ STUDY ANL~ CiTY MANAGER: The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to coordinate with the City's consuitants, as well as such other depar~ments of the City, as the City Manager shall deem appropriate to conduct necessary studies of Class C Commercial Signs (Biifbaards) within the City of Miami Gardens, and to determine the most appropriate geographic area(s) if any for the location ofi such signs, in light of the Gity's fu~ure re-de~eiopment plans. The City Manager shall report back to the May~r and CEty Council the results of any studies_ SECTi4N 5: CO[~FL[CT~ All ordinances or Code provisions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 6. SEVERABIL[TY: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, ~hrase or portion of this Ordinance is for any reason helt! invalid or uncanstitutional by any court of campetent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity af the remaining po~tions of this Ordinance. SECTION 7. INCLUSION fN GODE: It is the intention af the City Councif of the City af Miami Gardens that the provisions of this OrdinanGe shall become and be rnade a part of the Code of Ordinances af the Ci#y of Miarni Gardens and that the sections af this Orciinance may be renumbered or relettered and ~he ward "Ordinance" may be changed Pac~e 3 Page 14 of 44 Ordinance [~o. 06 -12-93 to "Chapter," "Section," "Article" ar such ather appropriate word ar phrase, the use of which shafl accomplish the intentions herein expressed; provic~ed, E~owever, that Section 1 hereof or the provisions contemp€ated thereby shall not be coc~ified SECTION 8. EFFECTlVE DATE_ This 4rdinance shali become effective immediately upon its finai passage. PASSED ON FIRST READING ON THE 24th DAY OF MAY 20Q6 ADOPTED AND PASSED BY THE C1TY COUNCfL OF THE C1TY OF MIAMI GARDENS AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE 14~' DAY OF .)UNE, 2Q06 /~ ~ ATT'EST: i`'r~ HfRLEY~I ~ ON, AYOR ~ ~ .~f -_ i'~_. ~ .~...t'~, RONETTA TAYLU.~; CMC, CfTY CLERK Prepared by SONJA K. DfCKENS, ESQ. City Attorney SPONSORED BY: DANNY O. CREW, CITY MANAGER MOVED BY: Vice Mavor Braynon SECONQED BY: Councilwaman Watson VOTE: 7-4 Mayar Gibsan x (Yes) _(No) Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon, I!I x (Yes) (No) Councilman Melvin L. Bratton x (Yes) _(No) Councitman Aaron Carnpbell x (Yes) (No} Councilman Ulysses Harvard x {Yes) _(No) Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett x (Yes) _(No} Counci[woman Barbara Watson x (Yes) _(No) 10819G_1 DOC Paqe 4 City of Miami Gardens Page 15 of 44 Billboard Report Page 8 of 12, November 14, 2006 Billboard Map i 1 ~ ewem++~vE"- ---" '---'- _ ... . .. ---- - M IAMI:lAKES ~ I. ~~ ~ unaaa . ..c , ~: ~ ~ 3 ~ ~ ... -- - ~ . : ~ z I . . ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ I ' : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ v ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . 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P> O ~ _ ~ ~ a ~ ~ ~ $ - . ~ - N - ~ _ _ a ^ _ - , _ _ - - _ _ - - _ _ 3 '. .: _ _ - cn City of Miami Gardens Billboard ~eport Page 9 of 12, November 14, 2006 Page 17 of 44 Countv Mana~er Memorandum dated June 7, 2005 - excerpts Page 18 of 44 ~ L ~ p ~ ~o ~ N CO LC~ ti ~ ~ ~ ~ •~ ~ O ~ ~ ~. ~ P~ ~ U co ~ . ~ N O C U ~ a ~ ~ N ~' C~ ~ ~ C ~ 'C7 }~ (C ~ .~ ~ .~ i+ ~ a U _~ ~ ~ O a~ ~ z 0 N ~ ca C ~ ~ ~ ~: w ~ ~.. ~ ~: o .d :: .. a o a a a ~ _ C L ~ ^ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O .~tr. V O C~ ~ ~ L D U U U ~ ~ U cy ~ ~ R ~ Gi y [~O _y l~Q N eLO N ~ N ~ Z U ~: U U U U ~`E.z 2 y~ z Z z z 0 y U.. V1 = A ~ a I I I I I I I ,,~ ~ ,, ! y °z z °z z z °z ;~ em;::. ~ ,. '~; ~, ~C C ~ U ~ ~ U O z b ~ r ~ . ~ 7A ~'~. ~-: "` iA ~~ - ~ - O~ N O O O~ T v'~ G~ v~ ~ ~O O ~ 00 O~ .1''. ~ ~ O a~ ~7 ~ ~ N O Q~ ~ ~ ~ v'~ O~ c~'~ O~ O~ C~ ~ C~ ~ ~,.~ oo r. ~ 00 ,~ C• O ^ ~ t~n ~~ : ~ :C> O ~ ~ ~ 0~0 ~ 0~0 ~ ~O ~ N ~ ~ p > y te r ,Z 4 O~ N r+ O~ -~ oo .-~ -, O~ ~D O~ ~D oo ~ N O~ ... . C O • O y ~n ~ '~_ '~ a=i ~.-. o Ld x l o w ~ > o ~ ° ~ o ~';'~~. ~~ . c ~ N c > ~ Q ~ Q O ;,;,~ '~ O t z ~ p ¢ C ¢ "'. '~' ~~' -~. O; ¢ O Q O ~ O t~ p O [~ ~ Q O ~ Q O ~ ~ O N Y1 ~ O N~O i~- ' ' 00 O 3$ N N 3°0 N i 3~ N~ 30 N l~ 30 l G~ 30 ~ 0 3°0 'z c 2~ z~ Z~ Z~ Z~ w~ o : Z o _ ~ ~N o~ ~^+ o ~N o.-~ ~N o ~N v~, NN OE.. ~~N o ~ ~N ~ M N ("'1 .-~. ~ ~ f'ry ^' M ~-" cf1 W ~ (~1 ~ t+'1 ~ N o~-J~ ~age '~~,~ ~Q[YiOrltl UtTI ~ Date: June 7, 2 0 0 5 To: Honorable Chairman Joe A. Martinez Agenda I tem No . 12 ( B) 1 and Members, Board of County Commissioners Fror~: George ss County ~ Subject: Repo n oards pur ant to Resolution No. R-370-04 This report is in response to Resolution No. R-370-04 thaf directed a study of the code enforcement being done in regards to Class C commerciai signs or biflboards erected throughout Miami-Dade County. Each municipality was asked to submit a report to the Department of Planning and Zoning fisting the billboards located within its respective jurisdiction and to make a determination as to whether any such biliboards are in compliance with the minimum standards set forth under Section 33-82 of the Code of Miami-Dade County also known as the `Sign Code of Miami-Dade County." The results are as follows (see attached matrix summarizing municipal results herein detailed): • Fourteen (14} of 33 municipalities have existing billboard signs: City of Aventura, City of Doral, City of Florida City, City of Hia{eah, City of Hialeah Gardens, City of Homestead, Town of Medley, Ciry of Miarr~i, City of Miami Gardens, City of North Miami Beach, City of Opa-Locka, Village of Palrr~etto Bay, Village of Pinecrest, and City of Sunny Isles. • Nine (9) of 33 municipalities continue to al{ow new construction of billboards: City of Doral, Fiorida City, City of Hialeah Gardens, Town of Medley, City of Miami, City of Miami Gardens, City of Opa-Locka, Vitlage of Palmetto Bay, and Village of Vrginia Gardens. Eighteen (18} of 33 municipalities prohibit billboard signs and do not have any existing signs within their jurisdictions. Additionally, six (6) other municipalities have since adopted ordinances that prahibit any new construction of billboards: City of Aventura, City of Hialeah, City of Homestead, City af North Miami Beach, Vllage of Pinecrest, and City of Sunny fsles. Reports were submitted by fhe 14 cities that have existing bilfboards. Please see attached report for each city's findings. The City of Miami and Town of Medley have been asked to resend its sign information on the standard form that was sent to each municipality, and, therefore, their statistics are not included in the attached report. The attached report does not incfude the 19 municipalities (Virginia Gardens allows biltboards, but does have any existing) that do not have any existing bitlboards within their jurisdictions. Each mun+cipality reported few or no viQlations with the billbaard signs that exist in each of their respective areas. The reason for this is that these billbaard signs are deemed nonconforming because their sign codes no longer permif biIlboard signs_ Signs that were reported in violation have been given deadlines for their removal. In the unincorporated area, the Department of Planning and Zoning reports that Miami-Dade County has 197 existing biflboards, 45 of which are in violation of the zoning code. The violations stem from faiiure to obtain a final inspection approval, to improper spacing and grouping of the sign. The fincfings of each billbaard Iocation applies on the attached report. The Zoning l~spection Section will conduct the initial code enforcement of these signs in violation. !f compliance is not obtained during the warning notice stage (~o!Y-pliance dates have not been established at this time}, the violation will then be referred to Team i~letro who will proceed with further enforcement action in order to compel compliance. ~ Page 20 of 44 Honarable Chairperson Joe A. tvlartinez and Members, Boarci of County Commissioners Page 2 The Resolution asked for the study to incfude municipalities' recommendations to improve or enhance compliance or enforcement with the sign code within their respective areas. The maja~ity of the rrzunicipalities have adop~ed a more stringent sign code that prohibits billboard signs. Six other cities have enhanced their sign codes by prohibiting any new construction of bil[board signs or billboard sign locations. The Vilfage of Pinecrest recommended an aggressive code enforcement agency that is proactive arid constantly patrols its area for unlawful signage. In the unincorporated area, Miami-Dade County's Department of Planning and Zoning is inspecting the proposed billboard sign site prior to the issuance of the permit to confirm that there are no other billboard signs within the required spacing (600 feet) frorr~ the proposed sign. This is an inspection type that was not done prior to 1998, the year the Department created the Zoning fnspection Section. The Department is also inspecting each sign location prior to renewing the sign permit to ensure adherence to the approved plan. Miami-Dade County may want to adopt a more stringent code that either prohibits billboards in certain areas and/or prohibits new construction of biltboard signs. ~ Attachments ~ Deputy Coun anager ~ Page 21 of 44 MUl~TICIPALITY ~ILL~OARD CHART Mu~icipality Have E~c~sting Billboards ' _ Permits NevY SiIibaard Const~-uefion _ Prohibrts Billboards _ Aventura X X Bal Harbour X Bay Harbor Island X Biscayne Park X Coral Gables ~ Doral X ~ El Portal ~ Florida City X ~ Golden Beach X Hialeah X X Hialeah Gardens X X Homestead X X Indian Creek X Key Biscayne X Medle X X Miami X X Miami Beach X Miami Gazdens X X Mianu Lakes ~ Miami Shores X Miami S rings X North Bay Village X North Miam.i X North Miami Beach X X Opa-Iocka X X Pa.lmetto Bay X X Pinecrest X X South Miami X Sunny Isles Beach X X Surfside X Sweetwater X West Miami X ' Virginia Gardens X ' ,~ City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report , Page 10 of 12, November 14, 2006 Page 22 of ~44 Assistant Countv Mana~er Letter dated May, 18, 2006 - includes excerpt of code ~ffee~ of ~he C~unty P~~n~ger 11 1 NW 1 st Street ~ Suite 2910 NItAMI•DADE pa~~-~lo~ ~~8-1994 7 531 1 F 305 37 1 T ~~~. 30 -3 5- - 5- 262 May 18, 2006 rniasnidade.gov ADA Coordinalion Agenda Coordinailon Mr. Danny O. Crew Art in Public Placec City Manager Audit and Management Services City of Miami Gardens Aviation 1515 NW 167 Street, Bidg. #5, Suite 200 Building Code Compliance Doral, Fiorida 33166 ~ Building Business Development Dear ~~ Capital Improvements It has come to our attention that there is a Class C sign i~ the City of Miami Gardens that Citizen's IndependentTransportaYionTrust appears to have been erected in violation of the County Sign Code; specificalfy sections Communications 33-107 and 33-121 of the Zoning Code (copy attached). Since the City of Miami Gardens CommunityActionAgen[y is the local municipai code enforcement agency which monitors and enforces its own city Communily & Economic Development code as well as applicable Miami-Dade County codes, we are referring this matter to you Community Relations for inspection and any necessary subsequent enforcement action. Section 33-82 (a) of ConsumerServices de of Miami-Dade County states that enforcement of the Niiarr~i-Dade C~~nty Sign th C Corrections & Rehabilitation e o Code shall be done by the municipaiities. The location of the Class C sign is 15890 NW Countywide Heahhcare Planning 27 qvenue. Culmral Affairs Elections We respect and support the City's authority to enforce the Miami-Dade County Sign Emergency nnanagemen~ Code. This is an enforcement issue that is important to all involved parties. However, we Employee Relations ~,,ould like to hear from you by Friday, June 2, 2006, with your action plan to enforce the EnterpriseSechnologyServices Code. If the City of Miami Gardens determines through formal notice to ask us to enfarce Environmental Resources Management the Code, we will proceed with enforcement of Class C sign regulations within the City of Fair Emp{oymenl Practices Miami Gardens. F~nance Fre Rescue If you determine to enforce the Code, please send us a report of the results of the City's Gene215ervicesAdministration enforcement efforts within 60 days from the date of this letter. to Mr. Sam Walthour, Fiisloric Preservation Director of Team Metro, at 111 NW First Street, Suite 1470, Miami, Florida 33128. Mr. HomelesSTrusl Walthour can be reached at is 305-375-4845. Team Metro is the county agency that HousingAgency enforces Chapter 33 in Miami-Dade County. Housing Finance Aulhority i S H my staff is available to discuss this matter with your appointed designee. If As always erv uman ces i P l R d , you require technical assistance in any code interpretation in order to ensure compliance ew ane ent ev Indepen i witn the County Sign Code, please contact James Byers, Permit Division Chief, um IntemationalTratleConson C Department of Planning and Zoning at 786-315-2606. enter )uvenileAssessmenl Medical Examiner Thank you for your assistance in this matter. As always, I look forward to working with Metropofitan Planning Organization you on this and other issues relative to Miami-Dade County. Park and Recrealion Planning and Zoning Sinc v, Police Procurement Propeny Appraiser Public Library Syslem Roger . Carlton PublicWOrks Assist County Manager Safe Neighborhood Parks Seapon c: George M. Burgess, County Manager Soiid waste Management B111 JOhtlsOrl, Assistant County Manager Stcategic Bvsiness Managemenl Sam Walthour, Director, Team Metro 7eam~netro Diane O'Quinn Williams, Director, Department ~f °lan~ing and Zoning Transit Urban Revifalization Task Porce Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Waler and Sewer Page 24 of 44 Sec. 33-~ 07. C6ass ~ c~m~aerce~l sigras. Type af signs permitted: Billboard; bulletin board; poster board TABLE INSET: Type oi Srze Number Setback llluminafion Maximum Specral Signs and Height Condifions Page 25 of 44 Type of Size Number Sefback I and lluminafion He ght um Cond fions Sigrs Spacing Detached Maximum size of No more than 2 20 feet to official No illumination 30 feet from normal When grouped, all 14 feet by 48 feet signs shall be r.o.w. line shall be installed or average grade signs shall be (672 square feet} placed in a group 5 feet to interior on any ciass C sign to top of sign placed at an angle " " plus embel(ishment except when such side propeRy line which may conflict to form a single V providing overall signs are less than 15 feet from any lot with adjacent uses or placed size of sign does 48 feet long and on which fhere is a or be objecfionable back-taback and '' not exceed 750 form a triangle residenfial buiiding to residential areas nof be placed in a, square feef (regardless of the and uses str~ight line zoning Atso see general Plans submitted for classification of provisions on a permit shall show such lot) illumination location and 30 feet to any EU setback of all or RU District buildings within boundary, except 1 DO feet of the where the face of proposed sign the sign fronts or loca4ion orients toward the EU or RU District, then the spacing shall be 300 feet. No cioser to r.o.w. than the nsarest existing substantial building fronting on the same side ~f fhe s4reet and within 100 feet of such sign. Except when fla~ against a legaily existing building the sign shall not be placed: 1. Within 100 feet of the p~int of beginning of the change of direction on the side toward which the direcfion of a highway changes 2. In the inside of a curve. 3. No sign shall be erected closer than 100 feet to any church, school, cemetery, public park, publi~ reservafion, public playground, State or national forzst 4. In the SU-1~, 2, 3, IU-1, IU-2 and IU-3 Zones, no class C sign shall be erected closer than 600 feet to Page 26 of 44 Type oi Size Number Setback illuminafion Urn ' and hi He+ 9 Cond tbns Signs Spacing sign on the same side of the street measured along the centerline of the same raadway or street, except that cantilever back-taback signs shaii be considered as 1 sign for the purposes of spacing and except when such signs are on opposite ends of the same building, the resfiction shall not apply as between the signs on opposite ends af the same building, providing such signs otherwise conform to spacing requirements from other class C signs in the area Wall Same as detached, No more than 2 in Same as detached Same as detached i None except in BU-1A group e the oof or abov and BU-2 Districts, parapet of the wall signs shall building conform to class B point of sale wall signs Zones/districfs permitting use. Class C commercial adver~ising signs shall be permitted in the following zones: (a) In BU-3, IU-1, IU-2 and IU-3 Zones. (b) In BU-1A and BU-2 Zones subject to the following conditions: (1) Cantilever construction. Detached class C signs in these zones must be of cantilever type construction (double-faced sign, both faces of the same size, secured back to back on the same set of vertical supports with no supporting bracing) with a~ minimum of 5 feet clearance between grade and bottom of board surface. Second face of sign will not be required if the rear of sign is properly and adequately concealed or hidden. (2) Sites for signs. Sites for focation of each detached class C sign in these zones must conform to the same minimum lot requirements as to size and frontage as required for erection of commercial buildings, and such sites cannot be improved with buildings or other structures. In a BU-1A or BU-2 Zone, any class C signs erected on a site shafl be immediately removed from such site at the time the first building permit is issued for permanent building to be erected t;~~reon if the sign is within 3uu feet of the proposed 6uilding. If a building exists on property, no permits for erection of class C signs thereon shall be issued if the sign is within 300 feet of an existing building. In addition, unless approved as result of a public hearing, no class C signs shall be erected on any property zoned BU-1A, BU-2, BU-3, IU-1, IU-2 or IU-3 unless the street frontage on the Page 27 of 44 opposite si~e of the street is zoned cornmercial or industrial. Landscaping requirements. Landscaping shail be required vvhere appropriate, as determined by the Director. Maintenance. In addition to the general maintenance requirements for this section, the owner and/or the erector of the sign shall be responsibie for maintaining the landscaping and the signs concerned in good condition and appearance and the site free from trash or debris. Failure to do so shall constitute cause for cancellation of the permit and removal of the sign, if owner andlor erector fails to correct same within 10 days after written notice of nonconformance. (Ord. No. 85-59, § 2, 7-18-85) Sec.33-121.10. Definitioros. (a) "Expressway" shall mean limited access rights-of-way and faciiities and related approaches, viaducts, bridges and interchange facilities and service roads and any portion of the interstate highway system, now existing or as may be later constructed or designated. (b) "Applicable regulations" shall mean any pertinent zoning, building or other regulations in effect in the incorporated or unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County or the State of Florida. (c} "Protected areas" shall mean all property in Miami-Dade County within six hundred (600) feet of the right-of-way of any expressway right-of-way provided that directional signs and semaphore signs may be located on any portion of a shopping center which is approved as a development of regional impact pursuant to section 380.06, Florida Statutes, or which has received a binding letter of vested rights from the State of Florida issued prior to January 1, 1980, exempting it from development of regional impact review. Any such signs shall be subject to the requirements of Article VI of this Chapter, but the provisions of section 33-121.15 shall not apply. „ ~~ (d) Sign shall mean any display of characters, letters, illustrations or any ornamentation designed or used as an advertisement, announcement or to indicate direction. (e) Erect shall mean to construct, build, rebuild (if more than fifty (50) percent of the structural members invoived), relocate raise, assembie, place, affix, attach, paint, draw, or in any other manner bring into being or establish. (fl "Temporary sign" shall mean signs to be erected on a temporary basis, such as signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises on which located; signs advertising a subdivision of property; signs advertising construction actually being done on premises on which the sign is located; signs advertising future construction to be done on the premises on which I~cated and special events, such as public meetings, sporting events, political campaigns or events of a similar nature. (g) "Point of sale sign" shall mean any sign advertising or designating the use, occupant of the premises, or merchandise or products sold on the premises. (h) "~utdoor advertising sign" shall mean any sign which is used for any purpose other than that of advertising to the pubfic the legal or exact firm name or type of business conducted on the premises, or of products or merchandise sold on the premises; or which is designed and displayed to offer for sale or rent the premises on which Page 2~ of 44 displayed, or the subdivision of such premises, or present or future construction or development of such premises, or advertising special events, shail constitute an outdoor advertising sign. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 1, 7-2-63; Ord, i~o. 83-53, § 1, 7-5-83; Ord. No. 85-36, § 1, 6-6-85; Ord. No. 00-32, § 1, 5-9-00) Sec. 33-121.'i 1 e Applicabilityo This division shall apply to both the incorporated and unincarporated area. Any municipality may establish and enforce more restrictive regulations as such municipality may deem necessary. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 2, 7-2-63; Ord. No. 83-53, § 2, 7-5-83; Ord. No. 85-36, § 2, 6-6-85) Sec. 33-121.12. Signs prohibited in protected areas. It shall be unlawf~l hereafter for any person, firm or corporation, or any other legal entity to erect, permit or maintain any sign in protected areas, except as provided for hereinafter. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 3, 7-2-63) Cross references: Commercial signs prohibited along expressways, § 21-23.1. Sec. 33-121.13. Exceptions. Erection of the following signs shall be perrnitted in protected areas, subject to the conditions and limitations listed herein and further, subject to other applicable regulations where such regulations are more restrictive or more definitive than the provisions of this division and are not inconsistent therewith: (a) Temporary signs which are located and oriented to serve streets other than an expressway, and are located at least one hundred (100) feet from the expressway right-of-way, except that such signs may serve and be oriented to an expressway if the property concerned abuts the expressway right-of-way and is not served by a parallel expressway service road or is abutting the expressway right-of-way and has direct, permanent legal access to the expressway. In no event shall any temporary sign be larger than one hundred twenty (120) square feet. (b) Point of sale srgns which are located on and oriented to the frontage on the street which provides actual and direct access to the front or principal entrance of the place of business; however, on corner lots a second detached point of sale sign will be perrnitted provided that the same is not larger than forty (40) square feet, is located on and oriented to the street frontage of the street other than the one (1) serving the principal entrance of the place of business. "Oriented," in connection with point of sale signs shall mean, in the case af detached signs, placed at a ninety (90) degree angle to the streef being serviced; in the case of roof signs, parallel to and fronting such street and within the front twenty-five (25) percent of the building concerned; and in the case of pylon signs, within the front twenty (20) percent of the building concerned. Wall signs within two hundred (200) feet of an expressway shall be confined to the Page 29 of 44 wall of the buiiding containing the principal entrance, except that a wall sign may be placed on one (1) other vvall of such building and shall be fimited to ten (10) percent of such other wa{I area. In no event shafl any detached point of sale sign be erected within the protected area which is greater in height than twenty-five (25) feet above the average grade of the premises concerned, and no point of sale roof sign shall be erected which is greater in height above the roof than ten (10) feet. (c) Outdoor advertising signs shall not be erected far the purpose of serving any expressway, and outdoor advertising signs in protected areas shall be erected and oriented to serve onfy streets other than expressways, subject to the following conditions: (1) That in no event shall any outdoor advertising sign be erected or placed closer than two hundred (200) feet to the right-of-way lines of any expressway. (2) That outdoor advertising signs shall be erected and placed only in business or commercial (not including industrial) zoning districts which permit outdoor advertising under the applicable zoning regulations of the County or municipa(ity having jurisdiction. (3) That no outdoor advertising sign shall be erected that is larger than fifteen (15) feet in width and fifty (50) feet in length, whether single or multiple boards. (4) That no detached outdoor advertising sign shall be erected which is more than twenty-five (25) feet above the average existing grade of the site on which such sign is erected, ~r the flood criteria elevation (if property is filled to such elevation) whichever is the greater; nor shall an outdoor advertising roof sign be erected which is more than finrenty (20) feet above the roof. (5) That no advertising signs shall be erected or placed within three hundred (300) feet of another outdoor advertising sign, such distance to be measured in all directions from the outerrnost edges of such sign. (6) That no outdoor advertising sign shall be erected or placed within one hundred (100) feet of any church, school, cemetery, public parfc, pubiic resetvation, public playground, State or national forest. (7) That outdoor advertising signs shall be erected and placed at right angles to the street which they are serving and shall be located within the front seventy (70) feet of the lot or tract on which erected. (8} That no outdoor advertising signs shall be erected or placed on a street dead-ended by the expressway, between the expressway and the first street running parallel to the expressway and on the same side of the dead-end street, even though such distance may be greater than two hundred (200) feet. (9) That outdoor advertising signs shall be erected and placed only on property conforming in size and frontage to the requirements of the zoning district in which located, and detached outdoor advertising signs Page 30 of 44 shall not be erected on property already containing a use or structure. (10) That detached outdoor advertising sign structures shall be of the so-calied cantilever type construction (double-faced sign, bath faces af the same size, secured back to back on vertica! supports with no supporting bracing). (d) Any sign which fails to conform with the provisions of this division but is not visible from any expressway due to an intervening obstruction. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 4, 7-2-63; Ord. No. 64-32, § 1, 7-21-64; Ord. No. 68-15, § 1, 3-5-68; Ord. No. 69-75, § 1, 10-22-69) Sec. 33-121.14. Nonconforr~ing signs. (a) Signs which have been erected prior to the effective date'` of this division may continue to be maintained until March 1, 1968. Thereafter, unless such signs conform to the provisions of this division, they shall be removed: If a nonconforming spacing situation can be eliminated by the removal of one (1) sign, the sign which has been erected for the longest period of time shall have priority. *Editor's note: Ord. No. 63-26, fr~m which this division is derived, was adapted on Juiy 2, 1963, and became effective ten (10) days after its enactment. (b) Any sign legally erected, permitted, or maintained subsequent to July 11, 1963, which is not in violation of this division but upon the opening for public use of an expressway or app(icable portion thereof becomes nonconforming, the same may continue to be maintained for a period of five (5) years from the day of such opening provided on or before the expiration of the five (5) year period, the nonconforming sign must be removed; provided, any sign which is exempt from the provisions of this division pursuant to Subsection (d) of Section 33-121.13 hereof, but subsequently becomes nonconforming due to the efimination of the obstruction preventing its visibility from an expressway, must be removed within five (5) years from the time of the elimination of such obstruction; further provided, after the effective date of this amendment any sign erected, permitted or main'tained after a future expressway right-of-way has been designated by the recording of an expressway right-of-way map in the public records of Nfiami-Dade County, Florida, which becomes noncorforming due to the completion af such expressway shall be removed within thirty (30) days after such expressway or appficable portion thereof is opened for public use. (c) If approved as a result of a public hearing by the appropriate Community Zoning Appeals Board, a nonconforming sign may be replaced or modernized provided the board size and height is not increased. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 5, 7-2-63; Ord. IVo. 70-94, § 1, 12-15-70; Ord. No. 98-59, § 1, 5-5-98) Sec. 33-121.15. ~ariar~c~s. No variances shall be granted through provisions of applicable regulations which will in Page 31 of 44 any way conflict with or vary the provisions of this division. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 6, 7-2-63) Sec.33-121.16. Penaliy. Any person violating any of the provisions of this division shall be punished by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisanment in the County Jail for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, or by both such fine and imprisonm~rt, in the discretion of the County Court. Any continuing viola#ions of the provisions of this division may be enjoined and restrained by injunctive order of the Circuit Court in appropriate proceedings instituted for such purpose. (Ord. No. 63-26, § 1, 7-2-63) ~ec. 33-121.17. Repeal clause. (aj Rli County and municipal ordir~ances, Couniy and municipal resolutions, municipal charters, special laws applying only to Miami-Dade County or any municipality in Miami-Dade County, or any general laws which the Board of County Commissioners is authorized by the Constitution to supersede, nullify, modify or amend, or any pa~t of such ordinance, resolution, charter or law, in conflict with any provision of this division, is hereby repealed. (b) Provisions of this division shall not apply to signs authorized by the City of Miami pursuant to City of Miami Ordinance No. 9993 only when said ordinance has been amended by the City of Miami in accordance with the City of Miami Resolution No. 85-540. (Ord. No. 63-26, ~ 8, 7-2-63; Ord. No. 83-53, § 3, 7-5-83; Ord. No. 85-36, § 3, 6-6-85) Secs. 33-121.18, 33-121.19. Reserved. City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report Page 11 of 12, November 14, 2006 Page 32 of 44 Settlement A~reement - North Miami ~ excerpts Page 33 of 44 N.Qilll Tk~EREFQEtE.. in c~nsid.~raYiQ~af t,h~m~icQ~eet~ hee~in. c~tained, tihe ~arties hereto agree each with the other as fof~ows: Section 1. F2ecitals. The recitals a~bave a~e ~rue and correct. Section 2. Construction of Signs. MEDIANET shall be perm€tted to cons#ruct six (6) aiHboaFe~ ~igfr st~~e~ttFesr a~ loea~io~ts v~i##t~r~F~e-~i~ N~s~ o# ~~ie-EF~X ifr ~~raFea-bQrdered on the east by the Interstate 95 right-of-way and exEending west 400 feet from the tnterstate 95 right-of-way, in specif~c locations to be determined by MEQIANET as furtMer described in this Agreement. The signs shatl have no rnore than two (2) sides each. The sigrts shall be ptaced so as to be primarily visible from the traffic lanes on Interstate 95. The signs must meet the Florida Department of 7ransportatiort ("FDOT') peRnitting requirements. The size, shape and height of the signs sha~l be in accordance witkt the FDOT permitting requirements and shall not exceed FDOT limitations. The shape of ~he signs shal[ be back-to-back or "V" shape on a monopoie base. Signs may be ilfuminated with lighting that is consistent with standard lighting used in the industry; however, no sign shafl be so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an offrcial traffic s~g.n. de~cice.* ar s~gnat. nor shall fh~ illuminatian int~rfere ~cith dri~cer~ ar shine directly onto adjoin~ng property. The illumination shafl not be provided by flashing lights, rofating (ights or strobe lights. No signs on the structures shaEl emit noise. Signs may not dispf ay words such as "Stop" or "Dange~' in such a manner to appear to require stopping or to imply the pres~nce af danger, nor may sign copy imitate official signs (such as stop signs, inters#ate signs, etc.). No part of the sign structure, excluding the ligh#ing mechanisms, shaft tr~ withirr tfY f~et ofi anY proFertY Ime; with-ifie~ fvttowirzg excePtiMms: ('t-~ fof r~~ and only one, of the signs, the above restriction shall be five fee#, and (2) any sign structure lacated adjacent to an al{eyway that is unnamed and unnumbered may be located immediatety next to the alleyway, but onty i# the alteyway is at least 10 feet wide at the point nearest to the sign structure and the sign structure is stil( at least 10 feet from the nearest adiacent propeRy owner's properiy tine. !n the event that there is a residence an the property adjacent to the alleyway, MEDIANET will, if requested by the property own~r of such adjacent property, pay for erection af a cypress ~ence or other equivalent visua! buffer, as allowed by the CITY's code, along the entire adtacent property tine. No part of any sign structure shall extend over any property fine. The zoning for each sign structure location must be commercial, industrial, or business. Each sign face on a sign structure s~a~l-be-EO~ple~e4~ eoveFed-wMe~-~~essage-ts-pos~ed. I# ~~ie ~sage-is-s~,all~~ than the sign face's dimensions, skirting or screening shall be used to cover the balance of the s~ign face. For security purposes, the ladder for each pole shalt begin no lower than 15 feet from the ground. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the southernmost sign may be a triar~gu(ar sign, with a third side, facing west, if so desired by MEDIANET. The signs shall be peRnitted for a period of 20 years, and a(I permits and approvals shafl be autamatically renewed for an additional 20 years, provided MEDIANET ~s not in default herer,~tder, unless MEDIANET notifies the CiTY othenevise, in writing. Any sign that must be replaaed due to damage or destruction will be re-permitted, if necessary, for the same Iocation. Ai! signs must b~ maintained in ~ safe rrtanner ~nd in comptiance with FDOT requirements E~~ ~ ~E-T Page 34 of 44 t~aa~ ~ncece in exis~ence a~ ~~e Y~ signsr~c~ l~~ilt and th~ ~tacida ~.uildic~g~ Code. Sectian 3. Sign Gontent. MEDIAfVET shall ~ot erect any sign advertising any establishment or business that could reas6nably be characterized as pr~viding ad~alt entertainment, norshal! anysign contain sexualiygraphic materiats, orcontain any s~naterial that appea(s to prurient interests. No sign shall contain ar~y af the follow~ng: obscene tanguage or language thatctescribes sexual~conduct; graphics that ctepic~sexuatca~duct, human genitalia or buttocks which are not fuliy covered, or female breasts which are ~ot covered below the top of the areola; or graphics which depict scenes or images which could reasonably be construed a being obscene or which appeal to prurient interests. There shalt be no X-rated movies, X-rated products or X-rated services, tattoo parlors, bail bondsmen, massage parlor advertising.~ pawn sho~st adult movie houses or adult entertainment centers pfaced upon any sign unless prior approval is obtained fron9. the CITY. No advertising wilt be allowed to cvntain material which is immoral, lascivious, obscene, and indecent, in bad taste or violates community standards of decency. There shal! be no a4coholic beverage advertising on any sign that is within one-quarter mile of a hospital or an elementary, middle or high school. Section 4. Term and Compensation to CITY. The initiai term of this Agreement sk-a!I commence upon execution af this Agreement by both parties and shali continue untit fihe date that is 20 years after the date of the first permitting fee payment to the CiTY. The Agreement shall be renewed, and all permits shall be autorna~ical(y renewed, for an additionaf 20 years, provided MEDIANET is not in default hereunder, unless MEDiANET notifies the CITY otherwise, in writing. Uporr expiration of the term, or renewar tetm if app[icable, of this Agreement, MEDIAIVET shall at its cost, remove the sign structures, unless agreed otherwise in wr~ting between the ClTY and MEDIANET. MEDIANET sha~i pay compensation to the CITY, as a permitting fee, not as a lease nr renta! f~e* tn he Raid tn f.he. ~iTY n~car time a~ falla~ncs.. ~AEQfAN.ET agre~s to pay the GITY $4,200.00 per sign structure per rnonth for the term o~ this Agreement, incfuding any renewal terms, with adjustments as described beiow. The payment of this fee for all sign structures shall commence on the same date, which date shall be the first day of the month that is immediately following the date of the receipt of final approvaf from the CITY of the first completed sign structure and shall continue on the first day of each successive month. f h~ marrth~Y aaym~~nt ofthe~ p~rmittirrgf~ shatt tr~ mad~ paya~ trr "eity ofi Motf#~- NlEam i c/o Department of Finance" and shall be paid at 776 NE 125~' St., North Miami, F~ 33'h~1. On each and every five (5) yea~ anniversary of the date of the first permitting fee payment to the CITY, the perrnitting fee shall be increased by the sarne percentage as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Miami-Dade County published by- ~M~ Depa~t~e~ ~~.aboF f oF ~ Feaso~able s+~~~e- ~-iefe#or~ f€ ~o- s~ek~ index is available) for the five (5} year period ending ~it(~ the month prior to the five (5) y~ear anniversary date. E~~ ~ ~ ~4N~E-T Page 35 of 44 ~tlithin 'l4 da~t~ a~ter ~ issuance of ~e. E~QT tag~,. ~ind prEar ta co~nm~nce~aerat mf cor~str~ction af the sign structure, (VIEDIAiVET ~ha61 make a deposit in the a~o~~t4 ~f three (3) months of fees for each such sign (i.e. $'f 2,6Q0}. Said payment sh~ti be re~und~d, vvitho~rt interest, to MEDIANET atthe time that MEDlANET's permit is terrninated; provided hlIEDfANET is in full complianc~ ~rith the Agreement and ~ot in arrears in any payments. Such deposit may be appiied by the ClTY toward any fee paymen~ that is unpaid or toward sign removat cos~s. Section 5. Dismissal of Lawsuits. Within five days after receEpt of final approval frorn the CITY of the first compieted sign structure, MEDIANET shall dismiss any and all lawsuits MEDiANET has filed against the CITY, with prejudice. The Notice of Dismissal shal! provide that each party shalt be responsibte for its respective attomey's fees and costs and that neither party retains any claims against the ather party except for any cfaim related to enforcement af this Agreement and shafl request that the court retain jurisdiction to enforce the terms of this Agreement. At the time of dismissal of the lawsuits, MEDIANET shalf pay the CtTY $fi0,000.Q0 ($10,000 per sign structure) as compensation for atEorney' fees and costs incurred in defense of the lawsuits. fiectinn 6_ App~a~cals~ The. CITY ~halt issu~ aIl necessaryc permi~ and granf a!I necessary approvals for MEDIANET to construct the signs withir~ 10 business days ~fter written identification to the C(TY of a location for a sign structure, provided that fhe sign structure described in the application complies with FDOT permitting requirements, the current version of the Ftorida Building Code, and the spec~frc provisions contained in thls Agreement. MEDIANET shall provide the CITY with engineered drawings of the sign structure~ and~ a specifrc purpose survey afthe property on which ttr~ sigrr is t~ b~e-located, showing fhe proposed location for the sign structure. The parties agree that the provisiqns of the CITY's ordfnances sha{I apply to the signs, except as fol~ows:(1) except to the ext~nt provided otherwise in thisAgreementand, (2) exceptfortF~ose provisions ofthe ordinances that prohibit erection and maintenance o# outdoor advertising signs. The sign structures shalt be subj.ect to the normal building permitting and ins~ection process for structures within the CiTY. The parties further agree that the CITl('s ordinances shall be applied in a reasonable manner to aflow erection and maintenance of the sign structures, with ~he understanding that the intent of #his provision is to provide rules to govern the ongoing relationship beiween the parties and the ongoing maintenance ar~d repair of the sign structures, but it is not the intent of this provision fhat the CITY's ordinances be used to pFer~efl~ t-~ieefeetioFr oF ~ai~t~e~ o€ t~ie-sigr~ stFae~~es oF t~r pFe~ ~~ie~ft~~cance of the intent of this Agreement. Section 7. Mitigation. fn order to rrtinimize the effect af the potentiaf construction of the 40 signs originaliy apptied for by MEDlANET under the CITY's then existing sign ordinance, the CIIY and MEDIANET agree that the sign permits described herein are the o~I~t sig~ pe~ri#s t#a~ s~alF b~ ~ss~ed~ t~r MEDEANET a~# ~kta~ ~app~iea~ons-p~e.viausly submitted shali be permanently withdrawn, ~-ith prejudice, at fhe same #ime as the d'ssmissal of the lawsuits described in section 5 hereof. i1AEalANET agrees that neitMer CI~ ~ IANET Page 36 of 44 City of Miami Gardens Billboard Report Page 12 of 12, November 14, 2006 Cutler Bay Billboard Ordinance Page 37 of 44 O1tDINAIoiCE NO.Ob-13 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL UF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 33, "ZONING" ARTICLE VI, "STGNS," DIVISION 2, "GENERAL PROVISIONS" OF THE TOWN'S CODE OF ORDINANCES, BY PROVIDING FOR THE PROHIBITION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNAGE WITHIN THE TOWN; PROVIDING FOR SEVERASILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Town of Cutier Bay (~h.e "Tawn") fmds and determines that, in order to maintain and improve the aesthetics, quality of life, and safety of the Tawn and its residents, the Town must adopt regulations prohibiting off-premises signage; and WHEREAS, sign regulation to advance the governmental purpose of aesthetics has long been upheld by the state and federal courts; and ~JGTHEREAS, as iong ago as 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that "the concept of the public welfare is broad and inclusive," that the values it represents are "spiritual as well as physical, aesthe~ic as well as monetary," and that it is within the power of the Tovm Cauncil to determine that the community should be "beau~iful as well as healthy, spacious as well as clean, well-balauced as well as carefully patrolled," in Berman v. Parker, 348 U.S. 26, 33 (1954), which was followed by State v. Miami Beach Redevelop-nent Agency, 392 So. 2d 875 (FIa. 1980); and WHEREAS, sign regulations have been held to advance these aesthetic purposes and advance the public welfare in City of Lake Wales v. Lamar Advertising ~1ss'n of LakQlanc~ Florida, 414 So. 2d 1030 {Fla. 1982); and V/HEREAS, the Town Council finds and deternlines that the Town has consistently adopted severability provisions in cannection with its Code of Ordanances, and that the Town 1 Page 38 of 44 ~vishes to assure that its severability provisions wiil be applied to its Ia.nd development regulations, includi.ng its off-premises sig-~ regulations; and WHEREAS, in several recent judicial decisions, the courts have failed to give full effect to severability provisions applicable ta sign regulations, and expressed uncertainty over whether local governments intended that severability would apply to certain factva.l situations despite the plain and ordinary meaning of the severa6ility clauses; and V~HEREAS, the Town Council is aware that the failure of some courts to apply severability clauses has led to an increase in Iitigation by billboard developers and other applicants seeking to strike down sign regulations in their entirety, so that they may argue that their applications to erect billboards or other signs must be granted; and WHEREAS, the Town Council desires that there be an ample and unequivocal record of its intention tilat the severability clauses it has adopted related to its off-premises sign regulations shali be applied to the maximum extent possible, even if less speech would result from a determination that any exceptions, limita.tions, variances or other provisians are invalid or unconstitutional for any reason whatsoever; and WHEREAS, the Town Council desires that its prohibition of billboards be given full effect, regardless of the invalidity or unconstitutionaliry af any or all of the Town's other regulations; and WHEREAS, the Town Council further intends to allow noncommercial speech to appear wherever commercial speech appears, and cadifies this intention through the adoption of a substitution clause that expressly allows non-cQrnmercial messages to be substituted far commercial messages as set forth in the body of this Ordinance; and 2 Page 39 of 44 WHEREAS, the Town Council specifically intends that this substitution clause be applied so that its sign regulations can never be consirued to impemussibly favor commercial messages over noncommercial messages; and WHEREAS, the Town further pravides for the political expression of its residents, as required by City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43 (1994), by al~owing a permarient ~oncommercial sign ta be posted in any residential zoning district. NOW, THEREF4RE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TUWN OF CUTLER SAY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Recitats. The above Recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference. Section 2. Amendment to Sign Re~ulations. The sign regulations contained Chapter 33, "Zoning," Articie VI, "Signs," Division 2, "General Frovisions," Sections 33-83 "Purpose," 33- 84 "Definitions," and 33-95, "Prohibited Signs," are hereby amended as follows: * ~ x Sec. 33-83. Scope. Furnose, Subsfitutian aad Severability. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this article is to pernut signs that will not, because of size, location, method of construction and installation, or manner of display: {1) Endanger the public safety; or (2) Create distractions that may jeopazdize pedestrian or vehicular tr~c safety; or (3) Mislead, confuse, or obsiruct the visian af peaple seeking ta locate or identify uses or premises; or 3 Page 40 of 44 (4) Desiroy or impair aesthetic Qr visual quatities of Miami-Dade Caunty which is so essential to tourism and fihe general welfare; and The purpose of this article is also ta permit, regulate and encourage the use of signs with a scale, graphic character, and type of lighting campatible with buildings and uses in the area, sa as to support and complement land use objectives as set forth in the Comprehensive Development Master Plan. It sha11 be further the pt~rpase of this article to promote the aesthetics, safety, heaith, and general welfare and the assurance of protection of ac~equate light and air within the Town by regulation of the general posting, displaying, erection, use, and maintenance of signs. In the event af any conflict between this code and any declaration of covenants, bylaws, or other restrictions applying to any property within the town, the language affording the more restrictive interpreta.tion shall apply. (b) Scope. The provisions of this article shall govern the number, size, location, and character of all signs which may be permitted either as a u~ain or accessary use under the terms af ~his article. No signs shall be permitted on a plot or parcel either as a main or accessory use except in accordance with the pmvisions of this article. (c) Substitution of Noncommercial Speech for Commercial Speech. Notwithstanding any provisions of this article ta the contrary, to the extent that this article pernuts a sign cantaining commercial copy, it shall pernut a noncommercial sign ta the same extent. The noncommercial message may occupy the entire sign area or any partion thereo€, and may substitute for ar be combined with the cammerciai message. The sign message may be changed fram commercial to noncommercial messages, or from one noncommercial message to another, as frequently as desired by the sign's owner, provide! tuat t?~e sign is not prohibited, an~i t~?e si~ cantinues to comply with all requirements of tlus article. 4 Page 41 of 44 (d) Severabiiity. (1) Generally. If any part, section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, phrase, clause, term, or word of this article is declared unconstitutional by the fmal and valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, this declaration of unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect any other part, section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, phrase, clause, term, or word of this article. (2) Severabiliry where less speech results. This subsection (2} sha.ll not be interpreted to limit the effect of subsection (1) above, or any other applicable severability provisions in the code of ordinances or any adopting ardinance. The town cauncil specifically intends that severability shall be applied to these regulations even if the result would be to allow less speech in the town, whether by subjecting currently exempt signs to pernutting or by some other means. (3) Severability ofprovisions pertaining to prohibited signs. This subsection (3) shall nat be interpreted to limit the effect of subsection (1} above, ar any ather applicable severability provisions in the code of ardinances or any adopting ordinance. The tawn council specifically intends that severability shall be applied to section 33-95, entitled "Prohib'rted signs," so that each of the prohibited sign types listed in that section shall continue to be prohibited irrespective of whether anather sign prohibition is declared unconstitutional or invalid. (4) Severability of prohibition on off-premises signs. Thas subsection (4) shall not be interpreted to limit the effect of su~section (1 } above, or any ather applicable sP~rerability provisimns in the code nf nrdinances or any adopting ordinance. If an.y ar all of this article or any other provision of the town's code af ordinances is declared 5 Page 42 of 44 u.nconstitutional or invalid by the final and vaiid judgment of any court o~ competent j~-isdiction, the town councit specifically intends that that declaration shall not affect the prohibition af aff-premises signs in Section 33-95(k). Sec.33-84. Definitions. For the purposes of this arkicle the following words and phrases are hereby defined as provided in this section, unless the context ctearly indicates otherwise. Where there is a question as to the correct classificatian or definition of a sign, it shall be the prerogative of the Director to place sa.id sign in the strictest ca.tegory and/ar classification. * * ~ Noncommercial sign: A sign conf:aining only noncammercial capy. "Noncommercial" shall mean not-for-prafit or commercial gain. Regardless of the content of the copy, a noncommercial sign shail not be construed to be an off-premises sign. Non-conforming sigrz: A sign located within the town limits on the effective date af this code or existing in an area annexed by the town after the effective date of this code (or amendments hereto} which, by its height, type, area, design, colars, materials, location, use, or structural support, conformed to the town code prior to the effective date of this ordinance, but does not conform ta the requirements af this code. This shall include signs that had been granted variances that were approved, and signs that were issued a consiruction permit by Miami-Dade County prior to the effective date of this ordinance. 4ff-premises sign_ A sign that directs attentian to a camrnercial business, commodiry, service, product, or activity not canducted, sold, offered, ar adailable on the premises where such sign is located, ~h? cony of which may be intended to be changed periodically. An off-premises sign as the principal use of the property on which it is ~ocated. It may also be referred ta as a"billboard." 6 Page 43 of 44 This definition includes a sign displayed on a trailer ar the bed of a truck that advertises something other than the identity of the truck, the driver or its contents. On premises sign: A sign that is located on the premises of the occupant, business, ar property identified on the sign. The occupant, business, or property is the principal use of the properry, artd the sign is an accessory use of the property on which it is located. ~ * ~x Sec. 33-95. Prohibited signs. ~ x ~ (k} Except for non-conforming signs, off-premises signs or billboard signs are prohibited in the town. Any off-premises sign or isillboard sign erected after the effective date of this article as amended shall be removed at ~1ie sale expense of the sign owner and shall be subject to code enforcement proceedings as provided in the town code. Section 3. Severabilitv. The provisions of this 4rdinance are declared to be severahle and if any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance shall for any reason be held to be invalid or uncanstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the rema.ining sections, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this Ordinance but they shall remain in effect, it being the legisla~ive intent that this Qrdinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of a.ny part. Section 4. Inclusion In The Code. It is the intention of the Town Council that the provisians of this Ordinance shall become and made a part of the Town of Cutler Bay Cade; that the sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered or re-lettered to accomplish such intentions; and that the word "Urdinance" si~all be changed to "Section" Qr other appropriate word. 7 Page 44 of 44 Sectio~ 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective immediatety upon adopfion on second reading. PASSED on first reading this 18th day of Mav, 2006. PASSED and ADOPTED on second read~g~~t~day of June, 2006. S ATTEST: , , RIKA GO ZA Z SAN AMARIA Town Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY FOR THE SOLE USE OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY: ei Serota Helfman Pastariza Cole & Boniske, P.A. INTERIM TOWN ATTORNEY F~tAL VOTE AT ADOPTION: Mayor Paul S. Vrooman YES Vice-Mayor Edward P. MacDougall YES Councilmember Timothy J. Meerbatt YES Councilmember Ernest N. 5ochin YES Cau.ncilmember Peggy R. Bell YES , Mayor ~i ~NCORPOAarFO =` 2Q05 8 City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 6 of 8, January 10, 2006 Memorandum Dated November 11, 2006 from City Attorney MEMORANDUM TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM: SONJA K. DICKENS, ESQ., CITY ATTORNEY RE: BILLBOARDS - THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PROHIBITION AND/OR REMOVAL DATE: 11 /13/2006 CC: DANNY CREW, CITY MANAGER; CHRIS STEERS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER; JAY MARDER, AICP, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR ISSUE: Whether the City of Miami Gardens ("City") can regulate, or even ban entirely, billboards within its corporate boundaries? SHORT ANSWER: Yes, the City may regulate billboards or even ban billboards entirely within its corporate boundaries. However, the City must make sure that the ordinance regulating or prohibiting billboards is not discriminatory, arbitrary, nor oppressive. Also, the City must provide an amortization period for existing billboards or provide "just compensation" for the removal of the billboards. DISCUSSION: Ordinance No. 2003-10, of the City of Miami Gardens, Florida authorized the adoption of Chapter 33 of the Miami-Dade County Code, entitled "Zoning", and its parts to be applied within the municipal boundaries of the City of Miami Gardens, as provided by Section 8.3 of the City Charter. The City is permitted to pass ordinances to regulate signage within the City limits.' The Miami-Dade County code permits the City to regulate its billboards, however, the City may not create standards less stringent less than the County. Specifically, section 33- 121.11, of the Miami-Dade County Code provides that, "[a]ny municipality may establish and enforce more restrictive regulations as such municipality may deem necessary." The City may regulate or even prohibit billboards within its corporate boundaries. However, billboard owners typically challenge the constitutionality of ~ See, City of Lake Wales v. Lamar Advertising Ass'n, 414 So.2d 1030 (Fla. 1982); City of Sunrise v. DCA Homes Inc., 421 So.2d 1084 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982); Lamar-Orlando, Etc. v. City of Ormond Beach, 415 So.2d 1312 (Fla. 5`h DCA 1982). 1 tz3o~o i billboard regulations under the First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the citizen's right to engage in free speech.2 The City's regulation of billboards is a legitimate governmental activity and cou~ts have upheld the promotion of aesthetics and traffic safety as sufficient substantial interests when balanced against claims of First Amendment infringement.3 Although traffic and safety alone may not suffice as a substantial interest, aesthetics alone has been held a sufficient justification of such police power regulation.4 The Equal Protection Clause "is essentially a direction that all persons similarly situated should be treated alike."5 Therefore, the City's billboard ordinance may not be discriminatory, arbitrary, nor oppressive.s The City's proposed requirements for removal of nonconforming signage may also trigger the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which provides in part, "nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation."' Courts examining local government billboard regulations consider whether a Fifth Amendment taking exists and whether billboard amortization periods provide reasonable compensation for such a taking. AMORTIZATION Chapter 479, Florida Statutes, regulates outdoor advertising. Specifically, § 479.24(1), Florida Statutes, provides that, "compensation shall be paid upon the removal of all signs lawfully in existence on Dec. 8, 1971 or signs lawfully erected which later become nonconforming." Section 479.15(2), Florida Statutes, provides, "No municipality, county, local zoning authority, or other political subdivision shall remove, or cause to be removed, any advertisement or advertising structure without paying compensation in accordance with s. 479.24(1)." Although a local government's ordinance mandating the immediate removal of signs has been upheld, traditionally sign ordinances have required that nonconforming off-premise street graphics be removed or rendered conforming within a"reasonable" time frame, rather than "immediately" because aesthetic regulation lacks the immediacy of a safety motivated regulation.$ There are a '- U.S. CONST. amend. I. 3 See, Supersign of Boca Raton v. City of Fort Lauderda/e, 766 F.2d 1528, 1530 (11th Cir. 1985) ~aesthetics and traffic control "undoubtedly qualify as substantial governmental interests"). See, Metromedia v. City of San Diego, 453 U.S. 490, 508 (1981); Marnish v. Manatee County, 783 F.2d 1535, 1539 (11~h Cir. 1986); City of Lake Wales v. LamarAdvertising Ass'n, 414 So.2d 1030, 1031, 1032 (Fla. 1982). 5 C/eburn v. Cleburn Living Ctr., Inc., 473 U.S. 432, 439 (1985). 6 See, e.g., A/achua County Court Execufive v. Anthony, 418 So.2d 264, 266 (Fla. 1982). ' U.S. CONST. amend. V. 8 Lamar Advertising Ass'n East Fla., Ltd. v. City of Daytona Beach, 450 So.2d 1145, 1150 (Fla. 5t'' DCA). ~ long line of cases which hold that amortization of nonconforming signs is a valid alternative to compensation, if the period is reasonably long enough to allow the sign owner to recoup his investment.9 Amortization suggests that a sign owner or user is put on notice that a certain period of time exists for ordinance compliance. Therefore, courts have considered amortization periods of various lengths and have approved them as a means of enabling an owner to recoup or minimize a loss. Although amortization schedules may provide sufficient compensation for billboards located on non-federal-aid primaries, monetary compensation is required by statute in Florida for billboards removed from federal-aid primaries. Specifically, section 479.24(1), Florida Statutes, states that just compensation shall be paid upon the removal of lawful nonconforming signs from any portion of the interstate or federal-aid primary highway system.10 Further, section 479.15(2) provides that no city "shall remove or cause to be removed, any lawful nonconforming sign along any portion of the interstate or federal-aid primary system without paying just compensation."" Economic evidence is necessary regarding the value of the removed billboards and whether the amortization periods provide reasonable compensation by allowing billboard owners to recoup their investments. At issue is the "life" of a billboard and whether allowing a billboard to stand for a certain number of years provides reasonable compensation relative to the value of the billboard at the end of its "life."12 The general rule is that provisions for the amortization of nonconforming uses are valid if they are reasonable. The mere existence of an amortization provision does not automatically validate a land use ordinance. Whether an ordinance effects a taking without just compensation is a question of fact requiring development of a factual record, which typically includes evidence of economic value. DETERMINATION OF PROPERTY'S VALUE If a court determines that the local government's amortization period does not provide reasonable compensation for billboards removed, the City may be required to pay compensation to the sign owner. Courts have considered various factors in establishing the economic value of property taken by a local ~ See, e.g., Modjeska Sign Studios, Inc. v. Berle, 43 N.Y. 2d 468, 402 N.Y.S. 2d 359, 373 N.E.2d 255 (N.Y.Ct. app. 1977). 10 Fla. Stat. § 479.24(1) (2005). " Id. §479.15(2). 12 See, e.g., Standard Oil Co. v. City of Tallahassee, 87 F.Su~p. 145 (N.D. Fla. 1949).; Major Media of Southeast, Inc. v. City of Raleigh, 792 F.2d 1269 (4 Cir. 1986); Naegle Outdoor Advertising, Inc. v. City of Durham, 844 F.2d 172 (4th Cir. 1988); Georgia OutdoorAdvertising, Inc. v. CityofWaynesville, 690 F.Supp. 452 (W.D.N.C. 1988). ~ 3 government regulation. The court in Modjeska Siqn Studios, Inc. v. Berle, 373 N.E.2D 255 (1977), appeal dismissed, 439 U.S. 809 (1978)., delineated the following factors to consider in determining what constitutes a substantial loss from a prohibition of billboards: 1) initial capital investment; 2) investment realization to date; 3) life expectancy of the investment; 4) existence or nonexistence of a lease obligation; and 5) a contingency clause permitting termination of the lease. Therefore, based upon the foregoing, the City may regulate billboards or even ban billboards entirely within its corporate boundaries. However, the City must make sure that the ordinance regulating or prohibiting billboards is not discriminatory, arbitrary, nor oppressive. Also, the City must provide an amortization period for existing billboards or provide "just compensation" for the removal of the billboards. ~ City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 7 of 8, January 10, 2006 Letters to Billboard Companies ~p~Ii~V~I'~ ' s'~~'.`~. f2r~o~3~'r~^r`?~ ~29 7'l~2s'° `~-~^~ai i.,3G~';': ~ """ee` .~~+.1 \ r l,~~~ a{.r7f'AJ .1 aaSE~.'~.~~~ LP~~.Jy ~vi~:'L ~.~J~~ 3= ='~` ~C , lF . _ , "'~ ~ ~~2'"5 ,-:~3a9~a ~,5 ~ ~~ .~*~i. ~~~~ ~..1i ~ ~lJ~. i t y ~: l..~i ~~."!, j 4' ~~~r.:ti~:~~ ~ Gi~- '..~'iJSJ~ v~.s ~~L.~ ' ~~ ~~J•«;r~J~tu~~ Iv..w'9 `~;._ ~:~~ _ ~ctober 25, 2006 Rex ~odges ~arter Outdoor Advertisemeni 10675 S~1/ 1 ~6th Streee 1~iami, Fl. 33157 ~: ~egulation of ~illboards ~eaY l~dr. ~-todges: This letter ~s to inform you that the ~ity Council of the ~ity of 1~/~iami Gardens will hold a public work session to consider the regulation of 6illboards. L)etails are as follows: ~~~~o ~'uesday, November 14, 2006 ]L~~~~u~¢no City Council Chambers at INliami Cpardens City I-iall, 1515 N~I 167`h Street, i~iami Cpardens, Florida 33169 ~'u~n~o 6:00 PM If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 305-622-~023. ~[arder, AICP ioment Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant City I~anager File 'vc'~~:~,.~1:.':~Ii~ ~~~b'~'.~.23':~+~~''C~:~`Jv'i..~'Y:i' z~e`f! ~ ~+ -~i,~, y~?19 >_.s "~'~~'s ';J_ ~+.iv~'; ^~3~4i~~•i~ a7~`v::'~ ~~~V ~:i,....:,_ .r~f'3,Y„~.'-"..:J. 'r.~+.~`r*.a.. v ~ ~ ~+^'. `~-~': _ ` ;-`~~v~j ~.~~.~~~~~ .~._. , ,~..~ ~~;;~. ,.''>~...._._., ~ _ ~ . ~ctober 25, 200C Damian ~'homas, EsquiYe V~/asserman ~i, ~'homas, P.~. One ~iscayne Boulevard, Saaite 3~~ 1~/diarni, FL. 331E1 ~: Regulatiore of ~illboards i,~ear 1V(r. T'homas: ~his letter is to inform you that ihe Ciiy ~ouncil oi the ~ity of 1V~iarrai ~'rardens will hold a public ~ork session to consider the regulation of billboards. L)etails are as follows: ~~~~e T'uesday, November 14, 2006 IL~~~gn~ne City Council Chambers at Miami ~iardens City f~dalL 1515 I~1~I+I 1~7`h Street, Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 ~n~nn~e 6:00 PN( If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 30~-622-8023. Sig~ed,~~ ,, -'~~ // ~ , " ~ ~!~ -~~' ~=~,."i%~ ,': `~~,,~~,,%~ i_ . Marder, AICP lopment Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant Caty IVlanager File ~2'•lc^~~g'3~3'er~e 9~2~"Jl;:c:~ ~°~2+~~'"`i.r~:~;,_ '~:~'~;~3:f~r s ~~~ ~~Y$@i~ ~s;.~~.~, ~°%:~~ ~t:d~ !, ~.9 .s n ;Y33~:u: i!` +Cu~3:.t~5".~; ~1'v7a°~G v-.~i :i ~:: .r'%9~ ,3': ° ~~2r9~.'.~ '+•i.9~ .( .3~ . ^-~::~.. ~-JaJ+J'~'Q.:~ ~~.e_ _' .'?.~.a3 Y»~ ?j`I ~~' ° : ".rYT J~' 1 ~.7 v i.. ~..~~_,J~~:~ ~~~ ~cto~ee 25, 2006 Michael ~. ~row~-, Esquire 2~55 N. Oce~n ~3rive, Suite 20~ Rivaera ~each, Florida 33404 I~: l~egulation of ~illboards ~ear N(r. ~3rown: This letter is ~o inform you that the ~ity ~ouncil of the ~ity of i~iami Gardens wall hold a public woa-k session to consider the regulation of 6i(lboards. ~etails are as follows: ~-~¢~e ~'uesday, November 14, 2~06 ~I,~~~~~~~o City Council ~hambers at 1V~iami ~ardens ~ity Hall, 151~ IiI~+! 167`h Street, IVliami Gardens, Florida 33169 'g'aaun~o 6:00 PM If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 305-622-8023. Signed ~- Ja~'s"R~Marder, AICP Development Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant City l~anager File ~~-G'~%2i.f'1~r'?3Ei:L :`~'; ~3f'E"''° ~L'~C'?e :.~ii?~3:~ .."=r ~='.'i; ~fi`i~' ~~`Y~~~ ~3~'y.3; ~+u:?~~ ~-..~~u ;?Ili~.._., ~,-~'-cr~': ~:s"S~ a :='i.~a.~ o1.Si:~: ';~„~..+` j'_+~'i;"' v`am~°..x:~ia= ~" ~:~y ~~~_ ~~;.~ , ~~-- i' ,--__.r_~~`"`;~i:~,_..,, - ~- ~ccober 25, 2~06 Careg Hibbs I~ea9 Estate ~epresentative ~lear Channel Outdoor 5~00 I~iV~/ 77th Court 1~iarnb, F~,. 33166 P~E: Regulation of ~illboards ~ear Mr. I-~ibbs: ~'his letter is to inform you that the Cir~y ~ouncil of the Cflty of iV[iami Ciardens will hold a public ~vork session to consider the regulation of billboards. Details are as follows: ~~$~e Tuesday, Iolovember 14, 2006 ]Lo~~~n~~e City Council Chambers at 1~iami Gardens ~ity Hall, 151~ N~/ 167`~' ~treet, Miami C'iardens, Florida 33169 'g'aunn~o 6:00 PM If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 305-622-8023. fay R. IViarder, AICP Development Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant City 1Vlanager File ;~'~sf~s~~'r+Gfi_T ~~i si.~.~` 1'G~.~rr'~i+'s`.,?i2"~.f.`' .... :. ~ ~:'_ . :~~ ~:'";='`, ~:£iCf.~'3J ..~_ ~.. ~f~` ui;u_._. +~.^ef:..1.~r.~-ri~~ ~S'.~ZF;`~.~s Lv~:3v ~ _ _ ~ ~~ ~~r_~ , ..~a_.~ v~i.Jl ~/~.e- - .e~. 'w_:._ ~ .r - .e» ~v ~ _ .. . _ ~.~~' y . ~. : . . r ". . ~ctober 25, 2~0~ ~illy ~..ong ~'reneral l~anager ~~S Outdoor 2640 N`h/ 17th ~,ane ~Pompano ~each, FI,. 33~64 1ZE: Y~eguiation of ~i9lboards Dear Il~Ir. Long: This letter is to inform you that the ~ity ~ouncil of the City of 1altiami ~ardens wifll hold a public vvorrk session to consider the regulation oi billboards. I3etails are as follows: ~~a~a Tuesday, November 14, 2006 IL~~~~n~~no City Council Chambers at Ndiami ~ardens City ~Iatl, 1515 N~I 167`h Street, Miami C'iardens, Florida 33169 . 'g'u~a~e 6:00 PIVI If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 305-622-8023. / !` y3~y R. Marder, AICI' l ~'" I9evelopment Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant City 1Vlanager File ~~j jf;•'•s.p•~~`''~ ~~ ~.r.~~'r' /~'~ --'~"=~~' ~G~Y'..:tiVF..:.t.~ ~~: S.FGE..~:~~:lv: v_~:°•`'}'_•<~~~`~'~:P~ :'1,":2.f',q`.v_ °~`:~: ~~F.+ ;1;~.--- «:..~i~~i~~ r.v «;x,.ir•a.fiC. _ s~fr' ~f;<sEF:: ~J~r1~ ~~.'.~ : ,m~ _ _..._ ~ i`t,`;sj v~~ ~~v' ~ :. '- '- '°_ -- °~ y ~c~ober 25, 200E .~arr-es ~yers Permit I)ivision ~hief Department of Planning and ~oning, i~/diarnQ-~ade ~ounty 11 ~OS SV+I 26th Street, Suite 219 I~/~iami, FL. 33175 ~: I~egulation of ~illboards Dear IV[r. ~yers: ~his letter is ~o in~orm you that the Ci~y Council of the Caty of I~ifiami ~ar~ens will ho[d a public wor(c session to consider the regulation of billboards. ~eiails are as follows: ~~a~o Tuesday, Novem6er 14, 2006 ~,~~~~u~~no City Council Chambers at Miami Ciardens ~ity E-Iall, 1515 I~IW 1C7`~' Street, Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 '~'u~n~o 6:00 PiVI If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact this office at 305-622-8023. S 1VTarder, AICP ~nment Services Director cc: Christopher Steers, Assistant City Manager File City of Miami Gardens Billboard Ordinance Page 8 of 8, January 10, 2006 Ordinance 1 ORDINANCE No. 2 3 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI 4 GARDENS, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 33, "ZONING," 5 ARTICLE VI, "SIGNS," DIVISION 1, "TITLE, APPLICABILITY, 6 PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS," SECTION 33-83 "PURPOSE," 7 AND SECTION 33-84 "DEFINITIONS," AND DIVISION 2, 8 "GENERAL PROVISIONS", SECTION 33-95, "PROHIBITED 9 SIGNS," OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ZONING CODE, AS 10 MADE APPLICABLE TO THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS' CODE 11 OF ORDINANCES, BY PROHIBITING OFF-PREMISES SIGNS 12 (BILLBOARDS) WITHIN THE CITY; PROVIDING FOR 13 SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF 14 ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 15 16 WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 8.3 of the Charter, the City of Miami Gardens 17 ("City") regulates zoning and land use through the Miami Dade County Zoning Code, 18 and 19 WHEREAS, the City is concerned that an uncontrolled proliferation of off- 20 premises signs (Billboards) within the City would result in a negative visual impact, and 21 WHEREAS, the City finds and determines that in order to maintain and improve 22 the aesthetics, quality of life, and safety of the City and its residents, the City must adopt 23 the following regulations prohibiting Billboards, 24 WHEREAS, implementing sign regulations to advance the governmental purpose 25 of aesthetics has long been upheld by state and federal courts, and 26 WHEREAS, the Courts in Berman v. Parker, 348 U.S. 26, 33 (1954), and State v. 27 Miami Beach RedeveloAment Aqency, 392 So.2d 875 (Fla. 1980) held that the concept 28 of the public welfare is broad and inclusive; that the values it represents are spiritual as 29 well as physical, aesthetic as well as monetary; and that it is within the power of the City 30 Council to determine that the community should be beautiful, healthy, spacious, as well 31 as clean, well-balanced and carefully patrolled, and 123473_1 1 WHEREAS, in Citv of Lake Wa/es v. LamarAdvertisinq Ass'n of Lakeland. 2 Florida, 414 So.2d 1030 (Fla. 1982), the Florida Supreme Court held that sign 3 regulations have been held to advance aesthetic purposes and advance the public 4 welfare, and 5 WHEREAS, the City Council finds and determines that the City has consistently 6 adopted severability provisions in connection with its Code of Ordinances, and that the 7 City wishes to assure that its severability provisions will be applied to its land 8 development regulations, including Billboards, and 9 WHEREAS, the City Council desires that there be a record of its intention that 10 the severability clauses it has adopted related to Billboard regulations shall be applied 11 to the maximum extent possible, even if less speech would result from a determination 12 that any exceptions, limitations, variances or other provisions are invalid or 13 unconstitutional for any reason whatsoever, and 14 WHEREAS, the City Council desires that its prohibition of Billboard signs be 15 given full effect, regardless of the invalidity or unconstitutionality of any or all of the 16 City's other regulations, and 17 WHEREAS, the City Council further intends to a~tow noncommercial speech to 18 appear wherever commercial speech appears, and codifies this intention through the 19 adoption of a substitution clause that expressly allows non-commercial messages to be 20 substituted for commercial messages as set forth in the body of this Ordinance, 21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY 22 OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA as follows: 123473_1 2 1 SECTION 1. ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS: The foregoing 2 Whereas Clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as being true, and the same are 3 hereby made a specific part of this Ordinance. 4 SECTION 2. AMENDMENT TO SIGN REGULATIONS: The sign 5 regulations contained in Sections 33-83 "Purpose," 33-84 "Definitions," and 33-95, 6 "Prohibited Signs," are hereby amended as follows: 7 8 9 Sec. 33-83. Purpose, Scope and Substitution. 10 (a) Purpose. This Ordinance adopted under the Zoninq Authority of the City 11 The purpose of this chapter [article] is to permit signs that will not, because of size, 12 location, method of construction and installation, or manner of display: 13 (1) Endanger public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the 14 City; or 15 (2) Create distractions that may jeopardize pedestrian or vehicular 16 traffic safety; or 17 (3) Mislead, confuse, or obstruct the vision of people seeking to locate 18 19 or identify uses or premises; or 20 21 (4) Destroy or impair aesthetic or visual qualities of Miami-Dade 22 23 County or the Citv of Miami Gardens which is so essential to 24 tourism and the general welfare; 25 and 26 {-~} The purpose of this article is also to permit, regulate and encourage the use of signs 27 with a scale, graphic character, and type of lighting compatible with buildings and uses 123473_1 3 1 in the area, so as to support and complement land use objectives as set forth in the 2 Comprehensive Development Master Plan. In the event of anv conflict between this 3 Ordinance and anv declaration of covenants bvlaws or other restrictions applying to 4 anv propertv within the Citv, the lanquaqe affordinq the more restrictive interpretation 5 shall apply. 6 (b) Scope. The provisions of this Ordinance shall govern the number size 7 location, and character of all siqns which may be permitted either as a main or 8 accessorv use under the terms of this Ordinance. No siqns shall be permitted on a plot 9 or parcel either as a main or accessory use except in accordance with the provisions of 10 this Ordinance. 11 ~c) Substitution of Noncommercial Speech for Commercial SQeech 12 Nofinrithstandinq anv provisions of this article to the contrary to the extent that this 13 article permits a siqn containinq commercial copy it shall permit a noncommercial siqn 14 to the same extent. The noncommercial messaqe may occupv the entire siqn area or 15 anv portion thereof, and mav substitute for or be combined with the commercial 16 messaae. The siqn messaqe may be chanqed from commercial to noncommercial 17 messaqes, or from one noncommercial messaae to another as freauently as desired bx 18 the siqn's owner, provided that the siqn is not prohibited and the sign continues to 19 complv with the requirements of this article. 20 Sec.33-84. Definitions. 21 For the purposes of this Ordinance the following words and phrases are hereby 22 defined as provided in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 23 Where there is a question as to the correct classification or definition of a sign, it shall 123473_1 4 1 be the prerogative of the Director to place said sign in the strictest category and/or 2 classification. 3 . . 4 ILLEGAL BILLBOARD. A billboard that was constructed in violation of the 5 requlations that existed at the time it was built. 6 NONCOMMERCIAL SIGN. A siqn containing only noncommercial copy 7 "Noncommercial" shall mean not for profit or commercial qain Reqardless of the 8 content of the copv, a noncommercial siqn shall be construed to be an off-premises 9 siqn• 10 NON-CONFORMING SIGN. A siqn located within the City limits on the effective 11 date of this ordinance or existinq in an area annexed bv the City after the effective date 12 of this ordinance (or amendments hereto) which by its height tvpe area desiqn 13 colors, materials, location, use or structural support conformed to the Code of 14 Ordinances prior to the effective date of this ordinance but does not now conform to the 15 requirements of the Code of Ordinances. This shall include siqns that had been qranted 16 variances that were approved, and siqns that were issued a construction permit by 17 Miami-Dade Countv prior to the effective date of this Ordinance 18 OFF-PREMISES SIGN. A siqn that directs attention to a commercial business 19 commoditv, service, product, or activity not conducted sold offered or available on the 20 premises where such siqn is located the copy of which may be intended to be chanqed 21 periodicallv. It mav also be referred to as a billboard or Class C sign This definition 22 includes a siqn displaved on a trailer or the bed of a truck that advertises somethina 23 other than the identity of the truck, the driver or its contents. 123473_1 1 . . . 2 Sec. 33-95. Prohibited signs. 3 . . . 4 (k) From and after the effective date of this Ordinance, it shall be unlawful for 5 any person to erect, place or use within the Citv, any Class C, Off-premise or Billboard 6 siqn, and no new Class C, Off-premise or Billboard siqn shall be erected within the 7 corporate limits of the City. Except for non-conforminq siqns all such signs are 8 prohibited in the Citv. Class C, Off-premise or Billboard sign erected after the effective 9 date of this Ordinance, as amended, shall be removed at the sole expense of the siqn 10 owner and shall be subject to code enforcement proceedinqs as provided by the Citv's 11 Code of Ordinances. 12 SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY: 13 (1) Generally. If any part, section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, 14 sentence, phrase, clause, term, or word of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional 15 by the final and valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, this 16 declaration of unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect any other part, section, 17 subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, phrase, clause, term or word of this 18 article. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any 19 section, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance shall for any reason be held to be 20 invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining 21 sections, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this Ordinance but they shall remain in 22 effect, it being the legislative intent that this Ordinance shall stand nofinrithstanding the 23 invalidity of any part. 123473_1 6 ORDINANCE NO. 1 (2) Severability where /ess speech results. This subsection (2) shall not be 2 interpreted to limit the effect of subsection (1) above, or any other applicable severability 3 provisions in the Code of Ordinances or any adopting ordinance. The City Council 4 specifically intends that severability shall be applied to these regulations even if the 5 result would be to allow less speech in the City, whether by subjecting currently exempt 6 signs to permitting or by some other means. 7 (3) Severability of provisions pertaining to prohibited signs. This subsection 8 (3) shall not be interpreted to limit the effect of subsection (1) above, or any other 9 applicable severability provisions in the Code of Ordinances or any adopting ordinance. 10 (4) Severability of prohibition on off-premises signs. This subsection (4) shall 11 not be interpreted to limit the effect of subsection (1) above, or any other applicable 12 severability provisions in the Code of Ordinances or any adopting ordinance. If any or 13 all of this Article or any other provision of the City's Code of Ordinances is declared 14 unconstitutional or invalid by the final and valid judgment of any court of competent 15 jurisdiction, the City Council specifically intends that that declaration shall not affect the 16 prohibition of off-premises signs in Section 33-95(k). 17 SECTION 4. INCLUSION IN THE CODE: It is the intention of the City 18 Council that the provisions of this Ordinance shall become and made a part of the City 19 of Miami Gardens Code of Ordinances; that the sections of this Ordinance may be 20 renumbered or re-lettered to accomplish such intentions; and that the word "Ordinance" 21 shall be changed to "Section" or other appropriate word. 22 SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall be effective 23 immediately upon its final passage. 123473_1 7 ORDINANCE NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 PASSED ON FIRST READING ON THE DAY OF JANUARY, 2007. ADOPTED AND PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE DAY OF JANUARY, 2007. ATTEST: SHIRLEY GIBSON, MAYOR RONETTA TAYLOR, CMC, CITY CLERK Prepared by SONJA K. DICKENS, ESQ. City Attorney SPONSORED BY: DANNY O. CREW, CITY MANAGER MOVED BY: SECONDED BY: VOTE: Mayor Shirley Gibson (Yes) (No) Vice Mayor Oscar Braynon, II (Yes) (No) Councilman Melvin L. Bratton (Yes) (No) Councilman Aaron Campbell, Jr. (Yes) (No) Councilman Andre Williams (Yes) (No) Councilwoman Sharon Pritchett (Yes) (No) Councilwoman Barbara Watson (Yes) (No) 123473_1 $