Downtown Charleston is one step closer to allow projecting signs from storefronts - with a few restrictions.
The Municipal Planning Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to recommend Bill 7682, which would amend the city's zoning ordinance to allow blade signs in the downtown central business district, as well as the urban corridor district on the near West Side.
A blade sign is mounted on a building facade and geared primarily toward pedestrians, City Planning Director Dan Vriendt explained. One example is the sign outside of Celsius on Hale Street.
The urban renewal districts on Charleston's East End and the far West Side already permit such signs.
"It's been a criticism we hear a lot [about] downtown because all the signs are flat against the buildings," Vriendt said. The trees planted along some sidewalks downtown can also impede storefronts' visibility, he said.
With support from local groups such as the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority, Charleston Area Alliance and Charleston Main Streets, the bill outlines criteria blade signs must meet.
Because many of the city's commercial structures directly border sidewalks, blade signs would be allowed to project over a public right-of-way, as long as they're between 9 and 12 feet above the ground.
The signs also may not exceed 3 feet in width and 2 feet in height, according to the bill. Blade signs also cannot be "internally illuminated," and would be limited to one sign per "public street front entrance," according to the bill.
The bill also seeks to repeal "shingle signs" from the existing ordinance.
"They're kind of the same thing," Vriendt said.
The language regarding on shingle signs have been more restrictive and had to be located entirely under a front porch or awning.
"No one ever took advantage of it -- we never had a permit for any of them," Vriendt said.
The bill now goes before City Council's Planning Committee for approval before Council votes on it.
Also on Wednesday, the planning commission reviewed a request for compliance submitted by the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority, which seeks to amend the boundaries within its West Side renewal plan.
If approved, the boundaries would include the area near the corner of Russell and 7th streets, an area near the corner of Patrick Street and Kanawha Boulevard and a couple of other small parcels surrounding the current boundaries, said Jim Edwards, executive director of the urban renewal authority.
The commission found the request to be consistent with the Imagine Charleston Comprehensive Plan.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.