The Planning and Architectural Review Board on Sept. 2 voted to recommend approval of Ordinance 2025-17, an update to the city's sign code that clarifies how temporary event signs are measured, where they may be placed in the right-of-way and for how long, and how enforcement will be applied.

Staff said the amendment addresses recurring problems from event signs placed in rights-of-way and fills enforcement gaps in the current code by specifying size limits, timing (how long signs may be displayed before and after events), and permitted locations for event-related signage. The presenter said the change is focused on temporary, event-related signage (for example, a farmers market or a city pride event) rather than permanent commercial signs.

Board members and staff discussed constitutional limits on sign regulation. A staff attorney and planning member explained that reasonable time, place and manner restrictions are generally permissible under the First Amendment, provided they are content-neutral and justified by public-safety or traffic-sightline concerns. Board members said the ordinance aims to regulate stagnant, placed signs associated with events, not an individual's right to hold a political sign.

Several members of the public asked whether recurring events such as the farmers market would be able to use directional signage. Staff said permitted event signage can be approved administratively as part of a special-event permit; those signs would be temporary and must comply with the ordinance's size and timing rules (for the farmers market that can mean weekly placement and removal tied to the event permit). A resident asked about enforcement and whether the city would issue written permission; staff said the process would include written administrative approval and a specification of the rules for permitted signs.

The board moved to recommend approval of the ordinance and the motion passed on a roll-call vote. The recommendation will go to the city commission for final action.