18B.10.080 Sign Variance.
A. An applicant who seeks an exception from the provisions of Title 18B PCC may pursue a sign variance.
B. Review Process.
1. An application for a sign variance may be considered administratively if such request is to deviate not more than 20 percent from a numerical regulation.
2. An application for administrative sign variance shall be decided by the Director.
3. An application for sign variance to deviate more than 20 percent from a numerical regulation, or from a non-numerical regulation, shall be decided by the Hearing Examiner.
C. Review Criteria. The applicant shall demonstrate compliance with all of the following review criteria:
1. Exceptional or unusual circumstances, not resulting from any act of the applicant, apply to the project location and not generally to other properties in the vicinity;
2. The sign proposal is outstanding in design;
3. The variance request is the minimum necessary to serve its intended purpose;
4. The variance request is consistent with the purpose and intent of the Comprehensive Plan and the Development Regulations; and
5. Applicable community plan and Comprehensive Plan objectives and goals are being met through this design proposal, and no objective of the applicable community plan or Comprehensive Plan is being deviated from.
D. Public Meeting Required. A public meeting before any established and active Land Use Advisory Commission shall be required for all non-administrative sign variance requests.
E. Public Hearing Required. After all requests for additional information or plan correction have been satisfied, the Department shall set a date for a public hearing before the Pierce County Hearing Examiner, for all non-administrative sign variances. The public hearing shall follow the procedures set forth in Chapter 1.22 PCC.
F. Decision.
1. The Director shall have the authority to grant or grant with conditions an administrative sign variance when, in the opinion of the Director, the review criteria described in PCC 18B.10.080 C. above have been met.
2. For all other sign variances, the Examiner shall have the authority to grant, or grant with conditions, a sign variance, when in the opinion of the Examiner, the review criteria described in PCC 18B.10.080 C. above have been met.
3. The Examiner and Director, as applicable, shall have the authority, as part of the approval of the variance, to establish expiration dates or time periods within which the approval must be exercised. Upon expiration the permit or approval shall be considered null and void. No extensions of the expiration date shall be permitted.
4. Denial. Noncompliance with any review criteria may be considered grounds for denial of a sign variance application.