A.The City of Monterey has a compelling interest to adopt guidelines that will offer an equal and consistent basis for evaluating signs, will inform the public of the City’s general expectations for the size, location, and design of signs, and will provide a clear means to achieve the purpose and objectives of this Chapter. As such, the City Council shall adopt, by resolution, Citywide Sign Guidelines that provide numerical and other design guidelines that prescribe a means for achieving the purposes and objectives of this Chapter.

B.The sign guidelines contained in a Specific Plan, Area or Neighborhood Plan, or similar adopted land use document are intended to more specifically describe the expectations for signs in that particular area. Such guidelines shall be considered to preempt and replace the Citywide Sign Guidelines should there be a conflict. Otherwise, the Citywide Sign Guidelines shall apply to all areas within the City.

C.As rigid numerical or other design standards may preclude exceptional design that might better achieve the purpose and objectives of this Chapter, exceptions to these Citywide Sign Guidelines may be offered by the Architectural Review Committee. Such exceptions may not be offered to prohibited signs and any resulting determinations shall be supported by clear and descriptive findings that are consistent with and which achieve one (1) or more of the purposes and the objectives of this Chapter. (Ord. 3475 § 2, 2012)