Planning and Zoning Commission recommends signage standards for conditional uses in residential districts

The Creve Coeur Planning and Zoning Commission on April 21 recommended that City Council approve a text amendment to the city zoning ordinance to provide signage standards for "other conditional uses" in residential districts.

Attorney Jamie Mansfield, representing Lifetime and the site that formerly housed the Creve Coeur Racquet Club, told the commission the change is intended to close a gap in the code that currently addresses signage for schools and churches but not for other conditional uses such as fitness centers, golf courses and other institutional-type uses. "We have proposed to add f, which is other conditional uses in residential districts," Mansfield said, describing a mock-up submitted to the city and the intent to align new allowances with existing institutional standards.

City planner Cathy Moore explained the proposed new subsection (§405.940(f)) would allow permanent attached signs of up to 24 square feet (up to two if a building fronts two streets); low monument signs of up to 24 square feet per face for sites of at least 5 acres and 12 square feet for sites under 5 acres; monument signs no taller than 6 feet and set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way; one freestanding parking directional sign (up to 15 square feet with up to two faces); and temporary signs not to exceed 24 square feet. Moore said the amendment is intended to mirror existing design standards and noted that master sign plans remain available for sites of 10 acres or more but are optional.

Commissioners asked staff why the current code singles out schools and churches and whether the proposed language could be broadened. Moore said the amendment fills an existing gap for other conditional uses and that the change provides modestly larger allowances for some non-school, non-church uses while making clear that monument design must follow existing design standards (referenced in §405.950(c)(3)). Commissioners also clarified visibility and sight-triangle restrictions and internal/external illumination limits under the design standards.

A commissioner moved to recommend approval of the draft ordinance as part of application 25-005; a second followed and the commission voted in favor. The commission recorded a favorable recommendation to City Council; the ordinance will next be considered by the City Council as part of the city’s legislative process.

Next steps: the recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for its consideration and any additional public hearings or readings required by ordinance procedure.