League of California Cities

Signs of a Successful Downtown

September 22, 2011

Signs of Successful Downtowns(or urban areas)

• Zoning and Use decisions• Building Form• Parking • Public Amenities• Signs

Signs in Successful Downtowns

What are the desired outcomes?•Business success•Project successful

image•Creating character•A sense of vibrancy

Avoiding blight is how we normally talk about signs

Projecting a Vibrant Image

Great Signage Exists

Peet’s Coffee and TeaSign Area: 8.5sq.ft (3’ * 2’)

Small Fin Signs Small Fin Signs (Sign Area: Max. up to 10’)(Sign Area: Max. up to 10’)

Starbucks at San Pedro St & Santa ClaraSign Area: 5.4sq.ft (28” * 28”)

Pizza My HeartSign Area: 4sq.ft (2’ * 2’)

Ben & Jerry’sSign Area: 4sq.ft (2’ * 2’)

Asian Gourmet Express Sign Area: 9sq.ft (3’ * 3’)

Pizza ChicagoSign Area: 14sq.ft (34” * 60”)

Laurel’s SandwichSign Area: 12sq.ft (2’ * 6’)

Medium Fin Signs Medium Fin Signs (Sign Area: Between 11sq.ft to 15sq.ft)(Sign Area: Between 11sq.ft to 15sq.ft)

SwirlsSign Area: 10.5sq.ft (3’ * 3.5’)

Peggy Sue’sSign Area: 20sq.ft (5’ * 4’) Big Fin Signs Big Fin Signs

(Sign Area: 20sq.ft or more)(Sign Area: 20sq.ft or more)

Johnny RocketsEstimated Sign Area: 28.3sq.f (3’ radius)

The Pita PitEstimated Sign Area: 20sq.ft

Original Joe’sApproximately Sign Area: 33sq.ft

ExamplesExamplesIlluminated Fin SignsIlluminated Fin Signs

Attached Signs

ROW Signs

ROW Signs

Building design often limits signage

Building design often limits signage

In some instances business owners opt for limited or no signage

Is more signage needed for these businesses?

How do you know what signage to accommodate in your City?

Do we want to be Las Vegas?

Visual Preference Survey

• Community and business focus group testing signage preferences

• Simulations of what signs would look like in various locations

• Types and quantities of business signage

Interactive Discussion

• Participate in the instant polling– Live results!– Anonymous– Do you have a response

card?

Amount of Signage in the Downtown

• Things to think about– How much signage there is for each

tenant– Where it is on the building– Scale of sign in relation to the building

Downtown Sign #1

Too m

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.

Not e

nough s

igna

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0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage 2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #2

Too m

uch s

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Just

the

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abou

t of..

.

Not e

nough s

igna

ge

0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage 2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #3

Too m

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Just

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.

Not e

nough s

igna

ge

0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage 2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #4

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Not e

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0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage 2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #5

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Just

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Not e

nough s

igna

ge

0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #6

Too m

uch s

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Just

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right

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t of..

.

Not e

nough s

igna

ge

0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Downtown Sign #7

Too m

uch s

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Just

the

right

abou

t of..

.

Not e

nough s

igna

ge

0% 0%0%

1. Too much signage2. Just the right about

of signage 3. Not enough signage

Input from community meetings

• High-quality signs are valued

• Regulations should not inhibit creative signs

• Sign blight is a concern

• Enforcement of sign regulations needed

• Regulations should be equitable

Proposed RegulationsProposed RegulationsZoning Area

Commercial, Industrial and NBDs

Downtown Area Urban Mixed Use Area

Sign Area The sign maximum up to 10sq.ft is permitted by right without reducing total allowed sign area.

Allow 15sq.ft of maximum size of fin signs in the city by right that do not reduce allowable signage.

Any size of the fin sign reduces the total allowed sign area.

Allow 15sq.ft of maximum size of fin signs in the city by right that do not reduce allowable signage.

Any size of the fin sign reduces the total allowed sign area.

Allow 15sq.ft of maximum size of fin signs in the city by right that do not reduce allowable signage.

Project from the

wall

Maximum 3ft.

Allow maximum ½ of the width of the sidewalk or 7’6”, whichever is less.

Maximum ½ of the width of the sidewalk or 7’6”, whichever is less.

Maximum ½ of the width of the sidewalk or 7’6”, whichever is less.

High Between 7 feet to 12 feet from the grade.

Allow maximum of 30 feet higher from the grade level.

Maximum 30 feet higher from the grade or up to the height of the finished 3rd floor elevation.

Maximum 30 feet higher from the grade or up to the height of the finished 4rd floor elevation.

Illumination

Not allowed

Allow

Allowed Allowed

Electronic Signs

Implementing Quality Signage

• Good Sign Regulations• Sign Permit process• Education of Signage Options• Sign Grants for great signs• Enforcement of signage

A good sign is hard to kill.

Joseph Horwedel

408.535.7900Joseph.Horwedel@sanjoseca.gov