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ORDINANCE NO. 2003- 1
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<br />AN ORDINANCE OF TIlE CITY COUNCIL OF TIIE CITY OF SAN
<br />MARCOS, TEXAS EXTENDING THE PERIOD OF A TEMPORARY
<br />SUSPENSION OF ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
<br />OF OFF-PREMISE SIGNS; INCLUDING PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS;
<br />PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
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<br />136.
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<br />RECITALS:
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<br /> 1. The City Council, in Ordinance 1990-82, enacted regulations for signs for the express purposes of
<br />authorizing "signs which are compatible with their surrouudings, appropriate to the activity to which they pertain,
<br />provide identification for their users m~d convey information to the public," and prohibiting "signs which interfere
<br />with scenic views, endanger the public health or safety, or otherwise constitute a nuisance with respect to the
<br />aesthetic standards and social values oftbe community". These regulations cover off-premise sign features such as
<br />size, heigbt, setbacks and spacing from other signs. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended that
<br />these regulations be reviewed for possible changes, and that, pending this review, a temporary suspension of
<br />issuance of off-premise sigu permits should be implemented.
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<br /> 2. The City Council recognizes the important role that signs fill in advertising businesses, products and
<br />services, and also understands that signs, because of their size, placement, configuration or spacing, can pose
<br />dangers to traffic and can detract from the aesthetic qualities of the San Marcos community.
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<br /> 3. In order to preserve the status quo pending review of off-premise sign regulations, the City Council
<br />adopted Ordinauce No. 2002-7 on January 28, 2002, imposing a suspension on the issuance of permits for tbe
<br />construction of new off-premise signs for a period of 180 days, and the City Council extended this moratorium for a
<br />period of 180 days in Ordinance No. 2002-45 on June 24, 2002.
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<br /> 4. The City Council considered an ordinance revisiug the City's off-premise sign regulations on December
<br />9, 2002, and tabled that ordinance to provide additional time to consider the ordinance and possible alternatives to
<br />the ordinance, and to give all parties the opportunity to express their concerns with the proposed changes.
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<br /> 5. The City Council wishes to extend the period of suspension of permits to provide additional time to
<br />consider the proposed ordinance and possible alternatives to the ordinance, and to give ail parties the opportunity to
<br />express their concerns with the proposed changes.
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<br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS:
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<br />SECTION 1. Definitions. In tiffs ordinance:
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<br /> Off-premise sign means a sign wbicb does not refer exclusively to the name, location, products, persons,
<br />services or activities of or on the premises where it is located.
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<br /> Pm'ely ideological sig~* means a sign that comains a political, religious, or personal message, and does not
<br />in any way advertise a commercial business, product, service, or event.
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<br /> Sign means any object, device or display situated outdoors wbicb is used to inform or give direction or to
<br />advertise or identify a person, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means, including
<br />words, Ietters, numbers, symbols, figures, motion and illumination.
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<br /> SECTION 2. The period of suspension of the filiug, processing and issuance of permits for the erection or
<br />construction of new off-premise signs, except for purely ideological signs, is extended to include the period from
<br />January 24, 2003 throngh gu].'t :~4 ,2003.
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