A series of workshops highlight the Turlock Planning Commission meeting this Thursday, with a focus on potential amendments to the City's regulations on temporary signs and sign spinners.
Since early this year, City staff have been addressing Turlock's current sign regulations with a specific emphasis on temporary signs and sign spinners. Previous concerns from both City staff and commissioners included issues of safety and fairness to other nearby businesses.
"Sign spinners often do things that don't make a lot of sense," said Deputy Director of Developmental Services Debbie Whitmore during the April Planning Commission meeting. "They can create dangerous situations in order to gain attention of passing motorists. They are typically located at the front of the property, city sidewalks and detract from permanent signage on buildings. One of the issues may be is it fair to allow this type of signage when a wall signage must be paid for?"
While the planning commission will not take any official action to make changes to the existing sign ordinance on Thursday, it will be presented with a potential approach to revising the current regulations modeled after the City of Rancho Cucamonga's sign ordinance.
After hearing the potential changes, commissioners will discuss the proposed amendments which will then be presented at a future public hearing of the planning commission.
The commission will also discuss several key areas of the zoning regulations that the City is considering amending. While city staff will provide an overview of the topics covered within the comprehensive amendment, a more detailed presentation on the topics of electrified fences, accessory structures, drive-thru facilities and Downtown Turlock zoning overlay regulations will be given during the meeting.
On Thursday, the Turlock Planning Commission is also expected to:
• Decide whether the City's plan to abandon a portion of the existing Dianne Drive from north of Poulus Drive to Fulkerth Road, and realigning Dianne Drive to Auto Mall Drive is consistent with the Turlock General Plan;
• Receive a Capital Facilities Fee Update from City staff;
• Hear an update on the Stanislaus Council of Governments Regional Housing Needs allocation process, and recent inquiries on new housing subdivisions.
The Turlock Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall, located at 156 S. Broadway.