Planning commission backs content‑neutral sign code updates, defers backlit signs in historic district

The Geneva Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 11 recommended that the City Council approve city‑initiated amendments to the zoning ordinance’s sign provisions to make them content neutral, but it did not adopt proposed internal (backlit) illumination allowances for the historic district.

City planner Matt Busing told the commission the amendments respond to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Reed v. Town of Gilbert ruling, saying, “local sign regulations should be content neutral ... the code should focus on the number, the size, and the location of the signs, but not the actual message.” The draft changes revise definitions (including billboard, A‑frame and temporary sign), delete several existing content‑based sign categories, and add a temporary yard sign category with size limits.

The proposal would allow temporary yard signs up to 6 square feet in residential districts and up to 32 square feet in nonresidential districts and treat any sign 3 square feet or smaller as exempt (permit not required). The staff packet included a certificate of publication for the legal notice and a staff report recommending the text amendments.

Commission discussion focused on two practical issues: (1) whether removing the word “advertising” from the temporary‑sign definition would create ambiguity about artwork or noncommercial displays, and (2) whether and how to allow internal/backlit sign illumination in the historic district. City attorney Scott Finson cautioned about First Amendment limits while noting criminal statutes may still apply to narrowly proscribable messages.

On historic‑district illumination, the Historic Preservation Commission had recommended against allowing internal illumination, saying it could harm the district’s character. Several commissioners and staff said the city had received inquiries from local businesses seeking more lighting options, and staff presented examples (halo‑lit letters, reverse channel lettering, sculptural layers) as possible compromise designs. Commissioners expressed reluctance to issue a blanket approval for backlit signs; several asked for a process that would subject such signs to additional review rather than automatic administrative approval.

To reflect that, the commission voted to recommend approval of the content‑neutral revisions and the other sign‑code edits but to exclude the proposed internal illumination amendments for the historic district from its approval and to forward the remainder of the package to the City Council. The motion (approved unanimously) also asked staff to prepare findings of fact. The commission discussed bringing the illumination topic back as a separate, noticed agenda item so affected property owners could be aware and comment directly, and staff said the Historic Preservation Commission would be asked to re‑review any revived proposal.

What this means: if the City Council follows the commission’s recommendation, Geneva’s sign code will be reworded to remove content‑based classifications and to clarify exempt signs and temporary yard sign sizes. The specific change to allow internal/backlit illumination in the historic district will not move forward at this time and would require a separate review process.

Details and next steps: staff said the city will forward the commission’s recommendation, with the excluded historic‑lighting provision noted, to the Oct. 6 City Council meeting. If the council wishes to revisit illumination in the historic district, staff said it would re‑notice the matter and involve the Historic Preservation Commission.