URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION AND COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN REVIEW.
Madison General Ordinances § 31.043
in effect31.043 - URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION AND COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN REVIEW.
The authority of the Urban Design Commission of the City of Madison ("UDC") to act upon all matters relating to signs shall be exclusively as described herein and Sec. 33.24. The fee for any application to the UDC under this section shall be as described in the fee section, 31.041(3). (Am. by ORD-17-00109, 10-25-17)
(1) Zoning Administrator Appeals. The UDC shall hear and decide appeals of decisions of the Zoning Administrator where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Zoning Administrator in the enforcement of this chapter and, where applicable, Official Notices issued by the Building Inspection Division or the Zoning Administrator relating to signs under this chapter, except decisions regarding structural or mechanical concerns which are appealable to the Building Board of Examiners and Appeals under Sec. 31.04(3)(b)1. All applications for appeal shall be in writing and filed with the Director of the Building Inspection Division no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the Official Notice of code violations or of the decision of the Zoning Administrator. The UDC shall make a final decision on an appeal under this section within sixty (60) days of the application, unless the applicant waives this deadline in writing or in person at a UDC meeting. (Am. by ORD-15-00117, 10-28-15)
(2) Modifications of Height, Area or Setback. After a public hearing as provided in Sec. 33.24(4)(e)3., the UDC may approve a sign with up to fifty percent (50%) greater net area or fifty percent (50%) higher than the maximum height otherwise allowed, or reduce the required yard or setback if such approval: (Am. by ORD-15-00118, 10-28-15)
(a) Is necessary for a sign located on the site of an establishment to be identifiable and legible from the nearest roadway at prevailing speeds; and
(b) Will result in a sign more in scale with the building and site and in a superior overall design.
(3) Additional Sign Code Approvals. After a public hearing as provided in Sec. 33.24(4)(e)3., the UDC may:
(a) Permit signs that will front on roads which according to the official map or capital improvement program indicate a change of size of that road or a change of zoning in the future as if the change were currently in effect;
(b) Permit the use of an above-roof sign on a given zoning lot in a Group 2 and where not otherwise allowed in Group 3 districts provided that if the signs on adjacent properties reduce the effectiveness of other types of conforming signs or where topographic relationships between structures and right-of-ways would deem their use appropriate;
(c) Permit the use of an above-roof sign when the architecture of the building does not provide a reasonable signable area;
(d) Permit the use of wall signs on building facades not adjacent to off-street parking areas where, due to a variation of building setbacks, a signable area exists, provided the area of the sign shall not exceed the area of the wall sign permitted on the front of the building;
(e) Permit an above-canopy sign that crosses architectural detail to be erected closer than three (3) feet to the nearest face of a building under Sec. 31.071(2)(e), if the proposed sign would not substantially detract from the contribution of the architectural detail to the overall building design.
(f) Approve additional signs for wayfinding purposes on certain zoning lots as authorized under Sec. 31.14(3)(e)1.; and
(g) Approve a condominium identification sign of up to thirty-two (32) square feet, as authorized under Sec. 31.14(3)(g).
(h) When allowed under this Chapter, approve the use of a banner in place of a permanent sign in all Urban Design Districts.
(i) Approve an Electronic Changeable Copy feature, meeting the criteria of Sec. 31.046(1), on an identification sign for a high school, as authorized under Sec. 31.14(3)(e)2.
(j) Permit a "Legacy Sign" as follows: one or more wall signs on a building that was constructed in whole or in part for a commercial or employment use, if the proposed sign or signs depict solely one or more of the following:
1. business name;
2. name of the building;
3. logo;
4. description of an accessory use that was accessory to a prior use of the building or zoning lot (may include a product name);
5. an exact replica of a known prior sign displayed on the building.
Each of the elements listed in 1. through 5. above, if included in the sign in question, must be found to have a provable, demonstrated historical relationship to a prior sign on the building that pre-dates 1940 or to a prior use of the building that pre-dates 1940. The UDC shall find that there is direct historical relationship between the proposed sign and a pre-1940 use of the building.
The UDC shall approve the materials, design, size, and location of the sign with specificity and the proposed sign shall match the original to the extent that any details of the original sign are known. The sign must blend appropriately with the historic nature of the building and shall not be illuminated. The location and size of the sign must be found by the Urban Design Commission not to interfere with existing signage on the zoning lot. If the appearance of a prior sign is known, the proposed sign shall match the prior sign completely and this will satisfy the criteria of this section. A sign that includes the name of a business or product that is not currently on the premises of the building cannot be approved unless the business or product is no longer in existence, or unless the business or product name can be shown to be commonly known as the name of the building. This section shall not be used to approve an advertising sign or off-premise sign as defined in this ordinance.
Landmarks/Historic Districts. An application for a legacy sign on a landmark or in a historical district is also subject to Chapter 41, the Historic Preservation ordinance.
Number and Location of Legacy Signs. Legacy signs under this section may be approved on not more than two (2) façades per building. There is no limit to the number of legacy signs per façade but each sign must be found to be eligible under sub. (j)1. through 5. above.
A legacy sign shall take the place of, not be in addition to, a wall sign that would otherwise be allowable under Sec. 31.07(2)(a) and (b), except that a legacy sign may not be approved as an alternative to Secs. 31.07(2)(a)1. or 2. and may not be approved as a roof or above-roof sign. A legacy sign also shall not be approved in lieu of a wall sign under Secs. 31.07(5) or (6). The UDC shall consider all existing wall signs on the façade when considering an application for a legacy sign. Legacy signs may only be displayed within an allowable signable area as defined in Secs. 31.07(2)(b) and 31.03(2), unless the proposed sign is an exact replica of a prior known sign on that building and the location of the prior sign is also known, in which case the sign may be displayed in the prior location, as long as the building exterior has not been significantly modified in that location.
No Additional Wall Signs. Once a permit has been approved for legacy sign(s) on a façade under this section, no new permits for wall signs will be issued.
(4) Comprehensive Design Review ("CDR"). The Urban Design Commission may approve a Comprehensive Sign Plan on a building site or zoning lot to allow special allowances for all signs on private property regulated under this Chapter beyond the restrictions contained elsewhere in this Chapter, and may incorporate other approvals authorized in Secs. 31.043(2) and (3) in order to meet the following purpose:
The purpose of a Comprehensive Design Review is to determine whether unique, exceptional, and innovative use of materials, design, color, lighting, and other design elements, resulting in visual harmony created between signs, building(s), and building site, are sufficient to warrant special allowances beyond the restrictions contained elsewhere in this Chapter. For the signs included in the Comprehensive Design Review, the restrictions of this Chapter shall not apply and there shall be no predetermined requirements for those signs except those requirements which shall be made part of the approved Comprehensive Sign Plan. The resulting Comprehensive Sign Plan shall encompass the new sign(s) requested by the applicant and approved by the UDC, and any approved modifications to existing signs on the same building site or zoning lot.
In addition, the Comprehensive Design Review procedure shall be used for all sign approvals in the MXC and EC districts. These districts with master plan requirements do not have standard restrictions for signage.
(a) Comprehensive Design Review Procedure.
1. The applicant shall file the required application with the required fee(s); submit site plans showing all existing and proposed buildings and signs, location and dimensions of each requested signable area; a color graphic of each proposed sign with dimensions; and any other materials as may be required by the UDC or elsewhere in these Ordinances.
2. The UDC shall review all proposed and existing signs on the buildings and zoning lot, and may require modifications to existing signs over which the applicant has control.
3. The UDC shall hold a hearing to review a complete application that includes all information required by this subsection. The UDC's decision to approve a Comprehensive Sign Plan shall be after a public hearing on the application, following the UDC's procedures for a public hearing in Sec. 33.02(4)(e)3., except that the appeal process shall be as described herein.
4. The UDC shall make a final decision on all complete applications for CDR within sixty (60) days of the date of the application, unless the applicant waives this deadline in writing or in person at a UDC meeting.
(b) Comprehensive Design Review Criteria. The UDC shall apply the following criteria upon review of an application for a Comprehensive Sign Plan:
1. The Sign Plan shall create visual harmony between the signs, building(s), and building site through unique and exceptional use of materials, design, color, any lighting, and other design elements; and shall result in signs of appropriate scale and character to the uses and building(s) on the zoning lot as well as adjacent buildings, structures and uses.
2. Each element of the Sign Plan shall be found to be necessary due to unique or unusual design aspects in the architecture or limitations in the building site or surrounding environment; except that when a request for an Additional Sign Code Approval under Sec. 31.043(3) is included in the Comprehensive Design Review, the sign(s) eligible for approval under Sec. 31.043(3) shall meet the applicable criteria of Sec. 31.043(3), except that sign approvals that come to Comprehensive Design Review from MXC and EC districts pursuant to 31.13(3) and (7) need not meet the criteria of this paragraph.
3. The Sign Plan shall not violate any of the stated purposes described in Secs. 31.02(1) and 33.24(2).
4. All signs must meet minimum construction requirements under Sec. 31.04(5).
5. The Sign Plan shall not approve Advertising beyond the restrictions in Sec. 31.11 or Off-Premise Directional Signs beyond the restrictions in Sec. 31.115.
6. The Sign Plan shall not be approved if any element of the plan:
a. presents a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic on public or private property,
b. obstructs views at points of ingress and egress of adjoining properties,
c. obstructs or impedes the visibility of existing lawful signs on adjacent property, or
d. negatively impacts the visual quality of public or private open space.
7. The Sign Plan may only encompass signs on private property of the zoning lot or building site in question, and shall not approve any signs in the right of way or on public property.
(c) Comprehensive Sign Plan Approval. An approved Comprehensive Sign Plan shall include all approved new signs and any required modifications to existing signs on the same building site or zoning lot.
(d) Changes to Comprehensive Sign Plan. Any changes to the approved plan must first be approved by the UDC using the full CDR process under Sec. 31.043(4)(a), except that the Zoning Administrator may grant approval for minor changes that are compatible with the concept approved by the UDC and the standards in Sec. 31.043(4)(b), upon approval of the Planning Division Director or designee.
(e) Violation of Approved Comprehensive Sign Plan. Once a Comprehensive Sign Plan has been approved, no person shall erect or cause to be erected any sign not approved on the Plan, or alter or relocate any sign displayed pursuant to the Plan, without first obtaining approval under the procedures in Sec. 31.043(4)(d) above, and obtaining all required sign permits from the Zoning Administrator.
(5) Appeals from Decisions of the UDC. A decision of the Urban Design Commission under this ordinance shall be a final administrative decision for purposes of judicial review. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Urban Design Commission may commence a court action seeking the remedy available by certiorari within thirty (30) days of the decision.
(Am. by ORD-15-00072, 7-29-15)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH31SICOOR_ADGERE_31.043URDECOCODEREFetched: 11/1/2026