Moses Lake raises sign size for Wheeler Corridor

MOSES LAKE - Businesses occupying a heavy industrial zone in east Moses Lake may soon be able to build higher, larger signs for better visibility.

The Moses Lake City Council approved the first reading of a sign ordinance amendment during the last council meeting.

If a second reading is passed the changes would increase the allowable sign height and area in the "Wheeler Corridor Heavy Industrial Area," which is defined as a Heavy Industrial zone east of Road L within the city limits.

Signs could be up to 45 feet tall with a maximum 350 square feet of sign area per site, the same set of standards listed for freeway and freeway interchange areas.

The proposed amendments come as a recommendation from the city planning commission, which was approached by sign vendors regarding signs within industrial zones, according to Community Development Director Gilbert Alvarado.

"There were some questions about the current height considering the size of some of those parcels - for instance RAC - and some of the other larger tracts," Alvarado said.

Many businesses in the area are set back from the road and would like to have more visible signs, he explained.

Mayor Jon Lane asked why the new regulations only apply to the Wheeler Corridor and wouldn't be extended to other heavy industrial areas, such as the one surrounding the SGL plant on Randolph Road.

"I guess to be consistent it seems you would have the same standards for both heavy industrial areas," Lane said

The planning commission may look at extending the new regulations, Alvarado replied, although sign height could present an issue for air traffic in industrial areas adjacent to the Grant County International Airport.

One other sign ordinance amendment was included to clarify provisions regarding electronic signs, Alvarado said.

Electronic signs can be up to 50 square feet per site, which is included within the maximum area allowed for freestanding or building signs. Electronic signs must meet any other applicable requirements related to free-standing or building signs.

Lane praised the efforts of city staff regarding their work with the sign code, which he called "a living document that needs to be changed to reflect new developments."

"It's probably one of the codes we amend most often as the (sign) industry changes and this happens to be one of those changes," Alvarado said.