PREPARED BY: SANDRA CASTANEDA DATE OF MEETING: 05/04/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AMENDING THE SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE (TITLE 18 - REGULATORY SIGN ORDINANCE), CHAPTER 18.04, SECTION 18.04.050, PROHIBITED SIGNS, SUBSECTION A.9, TO ALLOW FUEL PRICING SIGNS AS AN EXCEPTION TO THE IDENTIFIED LIST OF PROHIBITED DIGITAL SIGNS AND DIGITAL DISPLAYS, IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR CHANGEABLE FUEL PRICING SIGNS
CEQA: This ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), 15311 (On-Premises Signs), and 15061(b)(3) (the “common sense” exemption).
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Waive second reading, adopt Ordinance.
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2025-2027 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement:
This amendment to the San Pablo Regulatory Sign Ordinance to allow for digital fuel pricing signs is consistent with City Council Priority Workplan Major Policy Area of Focus on Economic Development and Fiscal Diversification, Policy 402, Find Creative Ways of Attracting New Business and Economic Investment. The proposed amendment would promote investments in green and other fuel sales by allowing digitally changeable fuel pricing signage.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), 15311 (On-Premises Signs), and 15061(b)(3) (the “common sense” exemption). The proposed amendment involves only a minor change to the existing sign ordinance to allow digitization of gas station signage related to gas prices, so it can be seen with certainty that there would be no significant effect on the environment.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A Public Hearing Notice was published in the West County Times (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) newspaper on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. A public hearing on this item was also held by the Planning Commission on March 24, 2026, and was published in the West County Times (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) newspaper on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
REQUESTED ACTION
The City Council is requested to adopt the attached Ordinance which omits any underlining or strike-through revisions that were used to highlight the changes when the Council first reviewed and introduced the Ordinance on April 20, 2026. There were no revisions requested at the April 20, 2026 City Council meeting, and the City Council concurred with placing this item on the consent calendar for adoption.
BACKGROUND
The proposed amendment arose from a recent request to allow an exception to San Pablo Municipal Code section 18.04.050 which precludes all digital signs except those displaying clocks and temperature. The request was made to accommodate the addition of digitally changeable fuel pricing to a highway-oriented pylon sign at 2526 San Pablo Dam Road (APN: 417-042-033). The request would allow the gas station to display digitally changeable fuel prices as part of a planned sign-refacing that would include more environmentally friendly or green fuel options. Since the adoption of the sign ordinance, state law has been updated to include specific fuel advertising and labeling requirements. In addition, the state and/or federal government may provide incentives to gas retailers including alternative or green fuel options, much like what the gas station at 2500 San Pablo Dam Road seeks to propose. Further, frequent manual alteration of sign displays is no longer practical, particularly when values are constantly changing, and the signage is located above ground level.
The proposed amendment adds fuel prices to the list of exceptions to the city’s prohibition against digital signs and displays, along with clocks and temperature signs in Section 18.040.050.A.9. Other exceptions to digital signs and digital displays include those authorized for new billboards on city property. It should be noted that animated and digital signs continue to be prohibited by Sections 18.04.050.A.4 and 18.04.050.A.9, although digital billboards on city property or in joint agreement with the City (such as the digital billboards at the San Pablo Lytton Casino) are permitted under certain circumstances pursuant to section 18.06.070.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
This is a City-initiated text amendment to the San Pablo Regulatory Sign Ordinance, Section 18.04.050, Prohibited Signs, to allow fuel prices to be added to the short list of exceptions to the prohibition on digital signage. The proposed amendment includes the following changes to include fuel prices to the list of exceptions, and to clarify the grammar and punctuation of the subsection text consistent with the intended meaning, as shown with strikeouts and underlines.
§ 18.04.050 Prohibited signs. <https://ecode360.com/45747991>
A. <https://ecode360.com/45747991>
Unless specifically authorized under other sections of this title, the following types of signs are prohibited in all zoning districts:
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9. Digital signs and digital displays, except as authorized for new billboards on city property under Chapter 18.06 <https://ecode360.com/45748181>; electronic or manual reader board sign with movable text; animated signs or flashing signs other than clocks or, temperature or fuel pricing signs that are consistent with state and federal law regulating fuel advertisements; , and signs that have moving parts or parts so devised that the sign appears to move or to be animated, and that blink, flash or emit a varying intensity of color or light which could cause glare, momentary blindness or other annoyance, disability or discomfort to persons on surrounding properties or driving by.
GENERAL PLAN COMPLIANCE
The proposed ordinance is consistent with the following General Plan policies and implementation strategies:
Urban Form:
LU-G-1
Promote a sustainable, balanced land use pattern that responds to existing and future needs of the City, as well as physical and natural constraints.
Commercial, Entertainment, and Industrial Uses:
LU-G-9
Retain and enhance commercial, industrial, employment, and entertainment land use areas to strengthen San Pablo’s economic base.
LU-I-47
Support the continued viability of regional retail and entertainment uses in San Pablo and strengthen their role as destinations for San Pablo residents and visitors to shop, dine, and gather.
LU-I-53
Ensure that shopping centers and commercial developments are designed in a manner compatible with adjacent residential areas.
The proposed amendment would be responsive to these policies by allowing for the updating of existing signage with new, more modern signage that enhances existing businesses and provides clear pricing information for motorists driving along San Pablo’s commercial corridors. Allowing digital signage of fuel prices would also facilitate advertising of green alternative “green” fuels offered by local gas stations, thereby helping further the City’s environmental goals. For reasons mentioned above, Planning Staff finds that the proposed use is consistent with the San Pablo General Plan land use policies.
ZONING ORDINANCE CONFORMANCE
According to San Pablo Zoning Code Section 17.01.020, the purpose of the Zoning Code is to promote growth of the city in an orderly manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort, and general welfare in conformance with the general plan. The proposed amendment complies with this stated purpose in that it would allow for the limited and orderly posting of digital fuel price signage for existing and new businesses without causing undue disruption to surrounding properties or persons.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The San Pablo Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments at its regular meeting on March 24, 2026, and approved PC26-03, by a vote of 4 ayes and 1 absent, recommending adoption of the proposed Ordinance by the City Council.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council review the proposed amendment to the Regulatory Sign Ordinance, take public testimony, and introduce the attached ordinance amending the San Pablo Regulatory Sign Ordinance, Section 18.04.050, Prohibited Signs, Subsection A.9, to include fuel pricing signs as an exception to the types of prohibited digital signs and digital displays. With this amendment, signs displaying digital fuel pricing would be listed as an exception in addition to those for clocks and temperature signs, as all of these sign types are required to be changeable. This amendment is necessary due to the impracticability of manually changeable signage and due to recent legislation related to gas station advertising requirements.
The Proposed City Council Ordinance (Attachment A) incorporates the recommended amendments to the Regulatory Sign Ordinance, highlighting the changes to the existing text of Section 18.04.050.A.9 by means of strikeouts and underlines.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed amendment could have a positive fiscal impact on the City to the extent that it helps to increase sales tax revenues by promoting the sale of various fuel options within the City of San Pablo.
ATTACHMENTS
Att A - Proposed City Council Ordinance
Att B - Resolution PC26-03 recommending approval of the Regulatory Sign Ordinance Text Amendment to the City Council.
Att C - Proposed Fuel Pricing Digital Signage
Att D - Proof of Publication