Council enacts 45‑day moratorium on enforcement of temporary signs while code review proceeds

The council voted to impose a 45‑day moratorium on enforcement of the city’s temporary sign rules while staff and Planning & Zoning undertake a review of the sign code, with particular attention to large‑lot properties and clarity for candidates and event organizers.

Council members described repeated complaints during election seasons about signs in public rights of way and different allowed sizes on residential versus nonresidential parcels; they noted the city’s existing sign matrix allows 32 square feet on residential parcels and 96 square feet on nonresidential parcels. Several council members urged education for candidates and property owners about existing rules and said consistent enforcement is necessary once a final code is adopted. City legal and planning staff cautioned that long‑term moratoriums create enforcement complications and that a durable, legally defensible rewrite of the sign code is preferable.

The moratorium motion was made and carried; council directed staff to continue the P&Z process to develop an updated sign ordinance that could address frontage‑based exceptions for very large parcels, content neutrality and other issues. Staff said they would provide candidate sign information to campaigners and review the P&Z timetable for an updated ordinance.