Smyrna council extends 90-day moratorium on freestanding signs taller than 25 feet

The Smyrna City Council voted unanimously to extend a temporary moratorium on accepting or processing applications for freestanding signs taller than 25 feet or larger than 150 square feet. Jones, a community development staff member, told the council the extension would allow staff time to finish revisions to the city’s sign ordinance. “This is an extension of the moratorium we've had in place while we work through the sign ordinance to revamp it,” Jones said. The council approved Resolution 2025-014 to continue the moratorium for 90 consecutive days beginning on 08/08/2025. The measure passed by voice/hand vote with a 5-0 tally. Council debate on the item was brief; the staff presentation described the moratorium as narrowed to only apply to the specified class of freestanding signs while the ordinance rewrite proceeds. No amendments or conditions to the extension were offered during the motion. The resolution pauses the city’s processing of permit applications that meet the size or height thresholds listed in the resolution; it does not affect sign permits below those limits and does not change permanent code until the ordinance amendments are adopted. Mayor Pro Tem presided over the meeting in the mayor's absence and called the vote after a motion to pass the resolution. The council instructed staff to continue work on the revised sign ordinance during the moratorium period. The continuation of the moratorium does not itself adopt new permanent zoning standards; it preserves the status quo for the listed sign categories while staff and council finalize proposed ordinance language. Additional public hearings or ordinance readings will be required before any permanent changes take effect.