Lorain council hears proposal to allow pole, off-premise and roof signs to spur development

Lorain City Council held a public hearing to consider a proposed amendment to the city sign code that would allow pole signs in light and heavy industrial districts and would permit certain off-premise and roof signs previously listed as prohibited.

The proposed amendment, recommended unanimously by the Lorain City Planning Commission on May 7, 2025, would change language in Ordinance 4-21 (sections 1151.06 and 1151.04(c) and (e)) to mirror the existing business-district sign rules for I-1 and I-2 districts and to lift the outright prohibition on some off-premise and roof signs. Planning staff told council the change is intended to make the code “nimble and flexible” to support economic development.

Planning and development director Matt Krushner, Building, Housing and Planning Director for the City of Lorain, said the recommendation came after staff attended a Retail Strategies training, where consultants emphasized that restrictive sign regulations can hinder retail recruitment. “Our zoning codes, specifically our sign code, needs to be nimble and flexible, but also still provide some consistency for development here in the city of Lorain,” Krushner said.

Evelyn Atkinson, Planning and Zoning…