The Hastings City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 48‑02, which amends Chapter 34 of the city code to clarify sign rules (Article 6, nonconformities) and the city’s Small Wind Energy Systems provisions.

City planning staff said the revisions address unclear language in the current sign code and align enforcement with state statutory limits on regulating sign content. Staff explained the intent is to regulate placement, size and duration without reading or judging sign content, as required by state law.

Amber, a planning staff member, told the council the existing code contained language that could force staff to read temporary signs to determine compliance (for example, to compute “24 hours after an event”), creating a legal exposure. Development Services Director Kevin Gibo said he and planning staff reviewed the amendments and that “the changes that were made... are gonna make it a lot more easy to enforce on our end of it and easier to understand on the customer side of it.”

Council members asked about specific enforcement subjects including: whether sign placement in the city right of way is allowed (staff said it is not), how political signs are treated differently from other temporary signs, and what time limits apply for different temporary sign types. Staff said streetlights are not part of the proposed sign changes and will continue to be funded through the electric utility’s separate budget.

Staff also proposed public outreach ahead of the next election season to explain the updated rules for political signs. Amber and Kevin discussed a plan to publish materials via multiple media and to coordinate with the city attorney and other departments to ensure clarity for candidates and property owners.

The ordinance also contains edits to small wind energy system regulations in section 34‑314 as part of a broader zoning code update; staff said the small wind provisions were included because those sections were ready at the same time while the zoning chapter review proceeded.

Ordinance 48‑02 passed on a 7‑0 vote; council also suspended rules to take the measure to second and final reading during the same meeting.