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Planning Department outlines sign-inventory gains, enforcement and sealed data in annual sign program report
Summary
The Planning Department reported it has compiled a citywide advertising sign inventory, found hundreds of unreported signs and initiated enforcement while a court injunction prevents public release of company-submitted inventory data. Staff said the program is self-funded and has generated $725,000 to date.
City planning staff told the Planning Commission on March 6 that the general advertising sign program has completed a field survey, uncovered hundreds of signs that were not on sign-company inventories, and begun an enforcement phase that has already led to removals and notice-of-violation actions.
Staff said the program generated approximately $586,000 in revenue in February 2007 and $139,000 year-to-date in February 2008, bringing total program receipts to about $725,000—largely from inventory processing fees plus a settlement credited from the city attorney's office. The program is funded by fees paid by sign companies and currently supports dedicated staffing.
Kimberly Duronde, who led the field survey, told commissioners that surveyors identified an additional 292 signs not reported in company inventories; the department received inventories from 27 companies listing 1,172 signs. Because sign companies successfully obtained a preliminary injunction, staff cannot publish proprietary inventory files, maps or company-level location data until litigation is resolved.
On enforcement, staff reported that as of Feb. 15 they had reviewed 164 signs (about 11% of the inventory), found 95 violations ranging from missing permits to unauthorized illumination, and removed 21 signs (16 after notices of violation and five voluntarily). The department has set up administrative-law-judge hearing procedures and said two administrative appeals were already scheduled later in the month.
Public commenters and commissioners pressed staff on several operational points: whether the current $48 annual maintenance fee per sign is adequate, how the department will maintain momentum if new illegal signs appear, and the timetable and costs to clear a projected backlog. Staff said the fee was set by this commission and was intended to cover staffing to maintain the inventory and that current resources should sustain the program through February 2009; staff would return to the commission if higher fees or additional resources become necessary.
What happens next: Staff will continue inventory validation and enforcement work, modify the database's public-facing materials if the injunction is lifted, and bring any fee-change recommendations to the commission if the program needs supplemental funding.
