City council approves change to portable-sign rules, allows manager discretion to extend display periods

The North Richland Hills City Council on May 14 approved an ordinance amending Chapter 106 (Section 106.13(C)(3)) of the Code of Ordinances to change how the city regulates portable temporary signs.

City planner Stephanie Martinez told the council the ordinance would let the city manager or the manager's designee approve extensions of display time for portable signs from the current 10-day maximum to up to 30 days and allow exceptions to the current requirement that portable signs be at least 100 feet apart on the same property. "Currently the ordinance allows for the signs to be placed for a maximum of 10 days and further requires the signs be placed at least 100 feet away from another portable sign on the same property," Martinez said. "Staff is proposing that the amended ordinance provide the city manager or her designee the ability to approve extension of time for a maximum of 30 days. Additionally, the exception would also allow for granting an exception to the minimum 100-foot spacing requirement."

Councilmembers asked staff how often a property could use portable signs under the revised rule and whether the change would apply to other sign types such as flags or banners. Martinez said the ordinance would retain the existing requirement that applicants must wait 30 days between sign permits for the same property, so under that rule a property could seek the portable-sign exception up to six times per year. She clarified the draft amendment addresses only the portable temporary signs and does not change regulations for flags or banners; banners still require permits and all signs must be placed outside the right of way and beyond 10 feet from the curb line.

Councilmember Blake and others raised enforcement concerns, asking whether multiple portable signs could be placed so close together that they would become a traffic or visual nuisance. Martinez noted existing language prohibits placing portable signs in a manner that would block another permanent sign and staff would enforce traffic-hindrance restrictions. Councilmember Parks observed that city-manager discretion should also provide a means to limit excessive deployments.

Councilmember Roberts moved to approve the ordinance as drafted; Councilmember Delaney seconded. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.

The ordinance change gives administrative discretion to the city manager for temporary sign extensions and spacing exceptions; staff indicated they would consider additional limits (such as maximum number per property) in future revisions if needed.