Port Richey council continues rewrite of city sign code; digital signs, abandoned-sign rules debated

Port Richey City Council members and city staff spent a workshop session reviewing a near-complete rewrite of the city's sign regulations, focusing on when signs should need permits, how long abandoned signs stay up, how drive-through menu boards are counted, and new standards for digital and illuminated signs.

The discussion matters because the rewrite would set citywide limits on political and temporary signage, establish rules for nonconforming signs, and create the first comprehensive standards for digital displays and interactive signs. Those rules affect businesses, developers and residents'visibility and how the city enforces signs on public rights-of-way.

Council and staff worked section-by-section through the draft. City Attorney Nancy Meyer, who repeatedly explained draft language and legal limits, said the proposal retains the longstanding option to allow some existing signs to remain but warned that code language must not inadvertently require businesses to change lawful signage immediately. "You can't grandfather anything in as well," Meyer said when explaining which signs could remain under prior approvals. City Manager Andrew Butterfield and Planning staff (identified in the meeting as Veronica) answered technical and implementation questions about setbacks, illumination and permitting procedures.

On temporary and abandoned signs council members debated enforcement time frames. The draft set a 6-month standard before a permanent on-site sign could be classified as "abandoned"; several members said that was too long.…