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NEW COMMUNITY WAYFINDING GUIDELINES & PERMIT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Introduction These guidelines pertain to the use of the Right of Way (ROW) for the purposes of placing new community wayfinding signs and/or new community decorative banners within a developing neighborhood, recognizing they either help the public in navigating to and around new developing areas of the City, or help with promoting the new community. These guidelines support the City of Lethbridge to monitor and coordinate ROW use for:

• Efficiently using ROW for the benefit of our citizens. • Protecting and maintaining the life of public infrastructure within the ROW. • Coordinating between ROW users. • Maintaining safety for citizens (ie. motorists/pedestrians) using the ROW.

Purpose The purpose of this document is to clearly outline the permit process for developers who wish to advertise their new community by placing wayfinding signage and/or decorative banners within the ROW by way of application, as well as to identify requirements and to provide clarity and direction to individuals who would like to understand this process from the perspective of either the applicant or citizen.

Wayfinding Sign Types • “New Communities” Wayfinding Signs, referred to as “new communities signs” in this document, are

located along arterial roadways with community name placards, leading to the new communities.

• Show Home Wayfinding Blade Signs, referred to as “blade signs” in this document, are located along arterial or collector roadways, placed on street lights when leading into a new community;

o Located along the arterial roadway adjacent to the entrance of the new community, or o Located along the collector roadway adjacent to the entrance of the new community.

• New Community Decorative Banners, referred to as “decorative banners” in this document, are supplemental non directional banners placed on street lights within the new community.

• New Community Free Standing Wayfinding Signs, referred to as “free standing signs” in this document, are within the new community navigating the public to the show homes.

• “Parade of Homes Event” Wayfinding Signs, referred to as “parade of homes signs” in this document, are for the annual “parade of homes” event connecting all new community show homes across the City.

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General Information • Applications should be submitted a minimum of two (2) months in advance of the required placement

date to ensure desired installation date is met • Failure to follow these guidelines may result in future requests being denied and/or deductions from

the security deposit as required to correct any deficient work o Please refer to “submitting an application” for details on the security deposit

• The City reserves the right to require the removal or re-location of any new community wayfinding sign or decorative banner at any time

• As per the Traffic Safety Act, Unauthorized traffic signs, Section 110(3), if a sign is in contravention to these guidelines, a peace officer or a person authorized by the City of Lethbridge Traffic Operations may, without notice or compensation, remove and destroy the sign.

Submitting an Application 1. New community wayfinding sign and decorative banner permit applications can be made to the

Infrastructure Services department by visiting www.lethbridge.ca to download the application(s) (or can be found attached), with the following provided:

o Drawing(s) showing proposed sign type(s) and design(s) including size, colour, shape, etc. o Drawing(s) showing proposed location(s) (dimensions shown, with setbacks from the curb

and/or sidewalk) o A security deposit of $2500 per neighbourhood for the following sign and banner applications:

Show Home Wayfinding Blade Signs New Community Decorative Banners New Community Free Standing Wayfinding Signs

2. A valid copy of the developer’s general commercial liability insurance with the City of Lethbridge noted as an “Additional Insured” with a minimum value of $2,000,000 liability coverage

Approval Process Once the application has been received, it will be reviewed to ensure compliance with these guidelines, and once approved a permit will be issued. General Safety & Operational Requirements

1. For sign installations involving a ground disturbance:

a. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Code, Alberta Electrical Utility Code and Alberta Pipeline Regulation, field location of all existing utilities is mandatory prior to any sign installation. Existing utilities are to be located through the services of:

i. Alberta One-Call, by calling 1.800.242.3447; ii. Shaw Locates, by calling 1.866.DIG.SHAW;

iii. City Parks Irrigation: 403-320-3850 (if City owned irrigation lines are present or suspected)

1. For locations where City owned irrigation lines are present, if damaged due to any developer installed sign, must be repaired by the applicant.

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b. Sign design, fabrication, installation, maintenance and removal costs is the responsibility of the developer once the application has been reviewed and approved.

i. Applicant must notify infrastructure services once all signage has been installed so that it may be inspected

ii. Signs are not allowed in roundabouts c. Applicant to comply with the current City of Lethbridge Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) Manual

(can be found online at www.lethbridge.ca or by emailing rowapplications@lethbridge.ca) should any portion of the installation affect a motor vehicle or pedestrian’s path of travel (please contact 403.320.3150 to discuss)

i. All installations must be located/installed in such a way that they are neither an impediment nor hazard to pedestrians, nor impede or obstruct existing Traffic Control Devices (TCD’s)

d. Locations adjacent to privately owned parcels, privately owned irrigation lines may be present, and if damaged due to any developer installed sign, must be repaired by the applicant. Contact with adjacent property owners before sign installation(s) is recommended

e. Locations must be offset from other utility and municipal above ground or at grade infrastructure including:

i. 1.5 meters from street lights ii. 5.0 meters from a fire hydrant

iii. 5.0 meters from Stop or Yield signs and any private access points iv. 30.0 meters from any legal crosswalk v. 2.5 meters from any Lethbridge Electric Utility (LEU) transformer

1. Please contact 403.320.3940 if within 2.5 meters is required vi. 1.0 meters from any Telus or Shaw owned pedestal

vii. 0.5 meters from any sidewalk or pathway or curb f. Locations must be offset from other utility and municipal underground infrastructure with a

minimum horizontal separation (measured from the center of the marked chevrons to the edge of the proposed sign), including:

i. 1.2 meters from any underground LEU facility 1. Please contact LEU operations at 403.320.3940 if within the 1.0 meters is

required. ii. 1.2 meters from any water line

iii. 1.2 meters from any ATCO Gas facility g. Signs may not be placed on private property or overhanging private property

2. All decorative banner and blade sign installation(s) and removal(s) completed by the City of Lethbridge Signals department;

a. Installation will occur within 15 business of receiving the banner(s) and bracket(s), or blade sign(s) pending:

i. Permit has been approved and issued ii. Installation and removal costs are paid in full

3. All directional signage must be offset from intersections, including:

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a. 30.0 meters from any arterial roadway intersection b. 20.0 meters from any collector roadway intersection c. 10.0 meters from any local roadway intersection

4. When building permits have been issued for 90% of the final development phase, applicant to advise infrastructure services so that all signs and/or banners may be removed;

“New Communities” Signs Specific Conditions These requirements are in accordance with the criteria on Attachment A

1. Sign and placard fabrication, installation and removal is completed by the City of Lethbridge Traffic department following the guidelines set out in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) document;

a. For locations where City owned irrigation lines are present, if damaged due to the installation of the sign, repair will be completed by the installer.

2. Signs are restricted to a maximum of five (5) placards identifying the community

a. One (1) arrow only on each placard b. A minimum cost of two (2) placards is required per new sign prior

to approved installation

Blade Signs Specific Conditions These requirements are in accordance with the criteria on Attachment B

1. Blade signs to be designed by the developer; a. Design to include only one directional arrow per sign b. Font height must be between 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters

(4 inches to 8 inches) and be white in colour using an approved font style

2. Blade signs can be ordered from Infrastructure Services or can be supplied by an approved supplier, and are to be constructed from 12-gauge aluminum panel which must be weather resistant for the elements;

a. Signs fabricated by the City of Lethbridge are supplied with the required banded brackets

3. For community entrance roads adjacent to either an arterial roadway or collector roadway:

a. Arterial roadways may have up to two (2) blade signs located on light standards with a 300 meter separation between each blade sign, or

b. Collector roadways may have up to three (3) blade signs located on light standards with a 100 meter separation between each blade sign

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Decorative Banners Specific Condition These requirements are in accordance with the criteria on Attachment C

1. Decorative banner applications can only be made for collector and local roads built by the developer and will not extend to roadways outside of their new community;

2. Decorative banners are considered supplemental decorative signage, and as such are not to be used for the purpose of navigating the public to show homes;

3. Decorative banner design to be completed by the developer; a. One approved banner design only for each new community b. Banner content related to new community only c. A design review is required prior to the fabrication to ensure

compliance with these guidelines 4. Decorative banner Size and Specifications are as follows:

a. The vertical banner size shall be 0.6m x 1.5m (24 inches x 60 inches) b. Banners shall be made of a durable fabric canvas or nylon or

coasted polyester; seams shall be stitched – not glued. c. One grommet is required at the top and bottom of each banner to

allow the banners to be secured d. Banner brackets shall be supplied by the applicant with all banners

i. Mounting brackets will be of a type approved by the City of Lethbridge Signals department and be consistent with mounting hardware; please contact 403.320.4296 to discuss

5. A maximum of (1) banner will be allowed on every other street light pole a. Where structural information is not available for the proposed

street light pole, applicant may be required to provide an Engineer’s evaluation of structure capacity

6. The City reserves the right to remove, without notice, any decorative banners which are in a poor or unacceptable physical or visual condition or which create a hazard, at the cost of the applicant;

Free Standing Signs Specific Conditions These requirements are in accordance with the criteria on Attachments D, E, F

1. Applications can only be made for collector and local roads built by the developer and will not extend to roadways outside of their new community, unless the situation conforms to the Special Circumstances portion of these guidelines

2. Design criteria: a. Signs shall include a “Show Home” placard b. Signs are to contain no advertising c. A developer’s crest or logo or that of the Canadian Home Builders

Association (CHBA) may be placed above the “Show Homes” placard d. Marketing names that differ from City approved names cannot be used on signage

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e. Font height must be between 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters (4 inches to 8 inches) and be white in colour using an approved font style

3. No more than 10 signs in total are allowed per new community, unless the situation conforms to the Special Circumstances portion of these guidelines;

4. Applicant to ensure that if working on any sign within the work zone of another contractor within the ROW, contact is made with the prime contractor prior to construction;

5. Applicant to follow all relevant City of Lethbridge Bylaws.

Parade of Homes Signs Signs Specific Conditions Parade of Homes signs are in accordance with the criteria on Attachment G

1. Design criteria: a. Signs shall include the text “Parade of Homes” b. Signs are to contain no advertising c. The “parade of homes” crest or logo or that of the Canadian Home Builders

Association (CHBA) may be used in the design d. Font should be white in colour in approved font style

2. Parade of Homes signs may be placed up to one (1) week in advance of the event, and removed within one (1) week of the event completion;

a. Applicant must notify infrastructure services once all signage has been installed so that it may be inspected

b. Applicant must notify infrastructure services once the parade of homes event is over, after all signage has been removed, so that a final inspection can be completed

i. Any damages to City property that result from the installation and/or removal of any “parade of homes” sign is the responsibility of the applicant, and if not repaired, the City will complete the repair with the cost to the applicant

3. Applicant to follow all relevant City of Lethbridge Bylaws.

Special Circumstances / Locations • Where a development is only accessible through an existing, established community, special

permission may be granted by infrastructure services for signage outside of the developing community with the exception of decorative banners;

o Special permission will only be granted for locations within the existing, established community directly adjacent to the expanding community;

o Free standing signs may be placed within 150 meters of two (2) key entry points into the existing established neighbourhood as well as in strategic locations for directional purposes, leading to the new community;

o Locations where approval is requested will only be considered if the impact on the existing residences is negligible;

o Locations at the rear of the property lines near alleys (laneways), adjacent to parks and pathways (near existing street lighting) will be considered