The first proposed revision to the county’s sign code in 20 years includes a prohibition against new electronic signs and a definition of them, the Clallam County commissioners were told at an April 18 meeting.
A public hearing on the revised code is set for 10:30 a.m. May 2 in the commissioners’ meeting room at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles.
County Principal Planner Donella Clark said she took a few standard definitions and extracted from them what she thought county staff could use in defining the prohibited signs.
The result was the following:
“An electronic sign will be a changeable sign that generally uses a matrix of illumination such as LED, LCD, or plasma capable of displaying words, symbols, figures, images or graphics that can be electronically programmed to change automatically.”
Existing electronic signs would become a “non-conforming use” under the proposed revision, meaning no new such signs will be allowed and existing signs can’t be altered, repaired or replaced.
Clark said Clallam County is not the Interstate 5 corridor and that was very apparent in the planning commission discussions.
“Yes, electronic signs are great in cities, great in the I-5 corridor, but they’re just not something we are interested in,” she said.
In a March staff memo, Clark wrote that the commissioners’ concern centered around safety and the distraction created by bright electronic signs.
“Part of the existing code that was a problem for staff is that it provided no standards for electronic signs, which is new technology that we’re having to deal with and not having any standards or not knowing how to permit those,” she told the planning commission in March.
County commissioner Randy Johnson said on April 18 that he noticed several signs over the weekend between Port Angeles and Sequim that were advertising nonprofit entities, and those would be prohibited if the revision is adopted.
Clark said those temporary event signs already are illegal, but perhaps the community could talk to people with existing electronic signs and arrange for temporary advertising exposure on those.
“The language, we spent a lot of time and consideration on this code,” she said. “We put staff on the failings of the existing code, where we run into issues and problems, you know, needed definitions and whatnot, as well as really looking at what do they want the future of signage in Clallam County to be?
“So that’s where we ended up with the standards.”
Commissioner Mark Ozias said, “I’m looking forward to the next hearing to see if we get any additional comment. Thank you for adding this definition. I appreciate that. At least for me that is an important addition.”
The new code also would include exemptions to allow flexibility in enforcement, such as the temporary banners and signs often seen at grand opening events, Clark said.
The proposed code would not allow existing billboards to be converted to electronic billboards, she said.
“Billboards already are prohibited in Clallam County,” Clark said. “What we have is all we’re ever going to get. And what this sign code will do is not allow them to put additional electronic uses on it. But we’re hoping that someday those billboards will get tired and old and then come down.”
