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Anaheim Planning Commission approves larger monument sign with electronic reader board for YMCA
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a variance and minor conditional use permit allowing a roughly 22-foot-tall, double-faced monument sign with an electronic reader board for the Anaheim Family YMCA at 1422 West Broadway, conditioned on brightness controls and restricted operating hours; the decision passed 5–1.
The Anaheim Planning Commission on March 9 approved a minor conditional use permit and variances to allow a double-faced monument sign with an electronic reader board at the Anaheim Family YMCA, 1422 West Broadway.
Planning staff recommended approval, saying the 4-acre site is in a public recreational zone that lacks vertical buildings to provide clear identification along Bridal and Broadway and that the proposed sign would improve visibility for a regional facility. "Staff supports the request and recommends approval of the application subject to conditions of approval," staff presenter Mike McCracken told the commission.
The permit allows a monument sign with an overall height of approximately 22 feet, a width of about 12 feet and an estimated 250 square feet per sign face; staff said the electronic display would operate between 6 a.m. and 12 a.m. and would be equipped with sensors to adjust brightness by ambient light. Staff and the applicant said the sign is intended to display on-site information, emergency alerts and community engagement programming.
Commissioner Lieberman opposed the scale of the sign and questioned its fit with surrounding residential areas. "When do you say enough's enough? When do you say too big is too big?" he asked, noting the proposal was "nearly 2 and a half times taller than code allows" and "over 4 times the square footage" permitted by the city's sign code.
Supporters and applicant representatives said modern LEDs are dimmable and can be used for public-safety messaging and community notices. A public commenter who identified himself as representing a sign company said modern reader boards are less distracting than older installations and can be dimmed during overnight hours and turned off beyond permitted times. Brian Nash, director of engineering at Cosign, said he attended to answer structural and electrical questions.
Staff clarified operational and property details: the parcel and Betsy Ross Park are city-owned and leased to the YMCA; staff said a required setback prevents moving the sign closer to the fence to reduce height but noted that the site is adjacent to a 6-foot tubular steel fence and the nearest residential property is approximately 540 feet away. A condition of approval (condition 3) requires sensing devices to adjust brightness based on ambient lighting and that the sign be turned off outside of the 6 a.m.–12 a.m. window.
A motion to approve the application was made, seconded and carried with five votes in favor and one opposing vote from Commissioner Lieberman. The commission's action is final unless appealed to the city clerk by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
The commission has no items scheduled at the next meeting; the body is scheduled to reconvene on April 6.
