01-19-1999 - Proposed Covina Freeway SignF1
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Memorandum
TO: City Council and City Manager
AGENDA
ITEM NO. C-2
FROM: Public Services Department ,
DATE January 19, 1999
® PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
SUBJECT: PROPOSED COVINA FREEWAY SIGN
SUMMARY: The City of Covina is proposing to erect a 90-foot high electronic message
board in close proximity to a West Covina residential neighborhood.
BACKGROUND
The City of Covina is proposing to install a 90-foot high, full -color electronic message
board at the Embassy Suites site, adjacent to the San Bernardino Freeway. Concerns
have been raised regarding the potential impact of such a sign on West Covina residents
living near the site. Such signs can produce light, glare, and view impacts, especially
given the close proximity of the residential neighborhood on Miriam Drive, Hillhaven
Drive and Craiglee Circle.
An article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune (attached) addressed concerns raised by
West Covina and Covina residents regarding the sign. These concerns were also echoed
by Planning Commissioners at their last regular meeting on January 12, 1999.
DISCUSSION
Staff recognizes the desire of Covina businesses to obtain identification on the San
Bernardino Freeway and the positive effects that such exposure can provide to a business.
However, City staff and'm the Planning Commission have concerns that the proposed sign
may unreasonably impact West Covina residents in their homes.
West Covina staff has dealt in the past with similar issues when the Auto Plaza sign was
installed. Recognizing the potential for impact on residents, the Auto Plaza sign was'
located as far from residences as possible. Even so, staff has still had to work with
several residents over the years to address glare concerns over a half mile away from the
sign. In the case of Covina's proposed sign, residences are located much closer to the
sign than the Auto Plaza sign; thus there is a greater potential for impact. In addition,
depending on the illumination level of the message board, the sign can illuminate the
surrounding vicinity for quite a distance.
The City of Covina's Planning Commission will be considering approval of the sign at
their January 26 meeting. As such, staff is recommending that the City Council authorize
staff to transmit the attached letter to the City of Covina's Planning Commission. The
.letter requests that Covina provide the necessary information to assure .that the sign will
not adversely impact West Covina residents. Some of the information that needs to be
submitted for review includes the potential view shed impact to residents, hours of use of
the message board, nature of displays on the message board (flashing, illumination levels,
etc.).
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council authorize .the City Manager to transmit the
attached letter to the City of Covina Planning Commission and City Council.
Je y W. Collier
Pis Services Director
�t/tachmentis
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Residents. hope
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MA -The aty's plan to. erect a Vegas style sign
t0 advertise its car dealers has rim into some very
down-home opposition.
Residents who live near the Embassy Suites
Hotel, the proposed site of the 90-foot high elec rm .
is message board, are enraged at the planned sigh's proximi-
ty to their homes.
And city officials failed to quiet those concerns Thursday
when a group of 20 homeowners showed up for a demonstra.
lion of the sigh's height, using a banner hung f%m a crane .
supplied. by the sign company.
'I don't like it, and it's only convinced me that rm right
that I don't want it," .said Gundela McCabe, a 20•year resi.
dent of nearby Meadow wood Drive. "We don't want a tacky
SIP up there, and it's not going to do the businesses any bet
ter.,.
Opposition to the proposed $700,000 sign, within about
1,000 feet of the neighborhood, burgeoned last month after
residents learned the council,' acting as the redevelopment
agen. However, the Pllaanne g Commiisss onn andcouncilhave
not yet approved it as a zoning matter, and neither has a
deal been inked with the dealers.
The beige,stucco sign, topped by the Embassy Suites
logo, will include a 322-squarefoot, fall -Color electronic mes-
sage board that city officials say is now. in use by some Las
Vegas casinos.
The board. will. advertise Citrus Avenue car dealers on
what little freeway frontage Covina has, with the car dealers
paying for upkeep and remaining advertising time sold to
other businesses to pay the monthly $B,133 rental fees.
During Thursday's demonstration, a banner officials con.
ceded was narrower that the proposed sign was lifted to 90
feet, as well as the lower height of the message board, to con.
vince residents the sign would not be an eyesore.
Please turn to VEGAS / A4
A CRANE, above, shows
homeowners where
the electronic adver-
tising sign, illustrated
at left, would stand on .
the Embassy Suites
hotel property. City
planner Hal Ledford,
at left in photo at
right, listens to resi-
. dents' concerns.
Staff photos by LEO 1ABZOMB
0
LUAb
Zoning for new sign.
Estill; waits approval
.4,
continued from As 1
'R• "If I lived here this sign fWO ould not bother me," saidmmunity Development
=irecior Mike Marquez, who
was Played a lead role in the sign
+oposal.
Ntarquez'8 comments drew
nickers from some. in the
who were not swayed by,"
the demonstration and wanted,.:
to know why the city -had cho.*'
sen�the
iE��mnb�aassssy. Suites location
for ther.YlYLn1Q[U,
"N you., think this sign will::
direct` people j to Clippinger ''
Chevrolet, two miles away?"
asked Chuck
wi don't like it, Bentson, 46,
and it's oan in n urance .
iY agent who has
convinced owned a
me that I'm
'Forest Hills
Drive home.
fight filet i for 20 years.
+..
-don't want It, City officials
:' maintained
We don't the location
Want a to was the only
ft one available,
sign Up since West
there 'and Covina has
r refused to
it's not going lease Covina
to do the where on i s
businesses expansive
any ' foo e e w a y
.better.tage.Otlier
Glndefa spots along
Covina's
McCabe, frontage
resident either could-
n't be seen or
had right -of way problems, they,
"You have to understand
_01
there is competition between
:West Covina and Covina. West
-Covina has literally sent letters
Vo each of our dealers letting
Zjhem know they would be wel-
ome there " Marquez said.
The sign is intended to stop
any of Covina's nine new and
used car dealers from leaving
Zthe city. The dealers are the
;,largest generators of sales tax,
which is the city's greatest rev.'
;venue source, he added
Z. In conducting the demonstra.
motion, city officials had a video-
om the—jaetcrane, and also shof the banner ot
photographs from various van-
�ge Points in the neighborhood
Scott Demedian, a sales rep.
„from Ad -Art Electronic Sign
Corp., the sign's builder, main-
'tained that it was barely visible
from even the closest houses in _
` the neighborhood, and what lit-
tle of it was visible was at an
:fie.
'It's perpendicular.'to the
ti freeway and therefore perpen-
dicular to the neighborhood," he
said "They are looking at the
side of the sign. They are not
looking at the. front face.,,
However, city officials con.
ceded it was far closer to a West
Covina neighborhood directly
*0 Cent to the Embassy Suites
Motel, where the crane's boon
could be seen towering over
homes on Miriam Drive.
The matter will next be con.
sidered 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the
Planning Commission in City
Hall, where commissioners will
be Presented with the videotape,
Photographs and other informa-
-"tion.
17G,-17ya
THE DIAMOND
OF THE SAN CAMEL VMtw
City Manager's Office
z
I -
January 19, 1999
Planning Commission
City of Covina
125 East College Street
Covina, California 91723
SUBJECT: PROPOSED FREEWAY SIGN
Dear Chairman and Members of the Covina Planning Commission:
The City of West Covina has learned of Covina's proposal to place a 90-foot high, full -
color electronic message board at the Embassy Suites_ site. While West Covina fully
appreciates the desire of businesses to adequately identify themselves on the freeway, we
have a great deal of concern that this proposed sign will significantly impact the residents
of an abutting residential neighborhood located within the City of West Covina.
Specifically, the proposed 90-foot high sign will tower over this neighborhood and will
likely impact views and produce light and glare impacts within home and yard areas.
These impacts are likely to detrimentally impact property values and the quality of life of
residents living in the neighborhood.
The City of West Covina has not received nor had the opportunity to review adequate
information to determine the level of impact upon' our residents. As such, the City of
West Covina requests that this matter be continued for at least two weeks and the
following information provided in order to determine the potential level of impact:
1. A site plan, vicinity map, and elevation drawing of the sign proposal.
2. An explanation of the nature of displays on the message board (video display,
text, graphics, flashing messages, etc.). Also, please provide a copy of any
proposed policy or guidelines for use and display of messages, if available.
3. Identify the type of light sources to be used on the sign and proposed
illumination levels of the message board and other sign illumination. Provide
wattage levels, etc.
4. Identify the hours of use of the message board.
5. Provide any view shed impact analysis prepared to assess the impact on
residents of Miriam Drive, Hillhaven Drive and Craiglee Circle.
1444 West Garvey Avenue So. • P.O.Box 1440 West Covina CA 91793 Phone (626) 814-8401 • Fax (626) 814-8406
COVINA PLANNING MISSION •
Page 2 — January 19. 19
Again, the City of West Covina supports the City of Covina's efforts to assist its business
community. However, such an effort should not unreasonably impact upon the quality of
life within a residential neighborhood nor unduly impinge upon the enjoyment of an
individual's largest investment -- their home.
The City of West Covina appreciates your cooperation and attention to this matter and
looks forward to working constructively with you to resolve these concerns. If you have
\ , any questions regarding this request, please feel free to call me at (626) 814-8401 -or Jeff
Collier, Public Services Director, at (626) 814-8422.
Sincerely,
Daniel G. Hobbs
City Manager
cc: Covina City Council
Fran Delach, City Manager
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