Mill Creek residents & businesses place a high value on the community’s appearance. One way the City maintains its beauty is through regulations that minimize visual clutter such as excessive signage. At the same time, Mill Creek residents & businesses desire a thriving business community that provides goods & services to the citizens in close proximity to where they live. To meet both objectives, the City’s sign regulations must balance the need to prevent visual clutter with the need to provide exposure to businesses.
Over the past few years, several City Council members have expressed a desire to consider revisions to the City’s sign regulations to allow larger freestanding signs for commercial properties, which would allow the display of the center name plus one or more tenants. The City has also identified a need to revise the building (wall) sign regulations regarding maximum area calculations to make them uniform throughout the City. Currently, there are two separate calculation methods for building signs, one used in the Mill Creek Town Center and one for the rest of the City. Staff is proposing to apply the Town Center regulations citywide. For these reasons, the Community Development Department is working with the Mill Creek Planning Commission to prepare potential revisions to the sign code for consideration by the City Council. Do tell.
The City would like to hear from both residents and the business community on their ideas for potential code amendments. To provide a forum to receive public comments, the Planning Commission will be hosting an Open House on Thursday July 19, 2012 at 7:00PM in the City Hall Council Chambers located at 15728 Main St., Mill Creek, WA 98012
At the Open House, additional information will be provided about the proposed sign regulation changes, and there will be an opportunity to participate in a Visual Preference Survey to let the City know which types of signs you think are, and just as important —are not, appropriate in the City of Mill Creek.
Over the next months, staff will review with the Planning Commission the public comments received and prepare potential revisions to the sign regulations for Planning Commission review. The goal is to have a Planning Commission recommendation on any revisions to the sign code available for City Council review by late 2012.
There will be additional opportunities for public input, including a formal public hearing before the Planning Commission. Please contact staff at the numbers listed below to be added to a mailing and/oremail list to receive updates on this project, or to share your comments.
Camille Chriest, Senior Planner (425) 921-5726 (contact with questions & suggested code amendments)
Sherrie Ringstad, Planning Specialist (contact to be added to email and/or mailing list) (425)921-5717