Commission backs 90‑day pause on enforcement of A‑frame and certain banner signs; broader sign code rewrite planned

At an April 7 workshop the Town of Pembroke Park moved to temporarily suspend enforcement of the town ordinance that prohibits A‑frame (sandwich‑board) signs and certain banner signs, giving staff and the town attorney 90 days to finish drafting an updated sign code. The pause — described by staff as a temporary stay on enforcement rather than a code change — grew from mayor‑led outreach to merchants who said the current code is antiquated and limits how small businesses can advertise.

Town legal staff said the recommended 90‑day suspension would not legalize permanent placement of the signs but would pause enforcement while staff finalizes a comprehensive rewrite. The town attorney and planning staff flagged constitutional limits: municipalities generally may regulate sign type, size, location and time but must be careful about content‑based restrictions because of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Multiple small business owners from Hallandale Beach Boulevard and local plazas spoke in favor of making the rules more flexible. A barber‑shop owner and the operator of Sweeney’s Liquors said modest LED window lighting, temporary feather flags and small A‑frame signs help attract customers and that reasonable technical limits (lumen caps, hours of use, anchoring standards) could address safety and aesthetics concerns. One business owner said better, uniform installation rules and explicit size/brightness limits would avoid a “cheap” appearance and reduce code violations.

Commissioner discussion focused on balancing pedestrian and traffic safety with merchants’ need to advertise. Commissioners asked staff to return with a proposed ordinance and recommended conditions (for example limits on placement, anchoring, illumination and hours of use). The commission agreed to place the 90‑day enforcement pause on the regular meeting consent agenda for Wednesday and to bring the full revised sign code back for committee/commission review in the coming months. Staff and the town attorney said the rewrite could be ready for workshop review by late spring and for formal readings by mid‑summer.

Ending — the 90‑day suspension gives staff time to finish a comprehensive sign‑code rewrite that town attorneys will review for legal sufficiency; the commission signaled support for rules that can allow limited temporary signage while protecting pedestrian safety and the right‑of‑way.