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Planning board forwards Chapter 43 sign ordinance changes to council, adds U.S. flag‑display reference
Summary
The Hoschton City Planning and Zoning Board approved sending proposed revisions to the sign ordinance (Chapter 43) to City Council, including limits on weekend marketing signs and a reference that business flag displays should follow U.S. and Georgia law.
The Hoschton City Planning and Zoning Board voted to forward proposed amendments to Chapter 43 of the city sign ordinance to the City Council, including clarified language on weekend marketing signs, a suggested change to include attached single‑family subdivisions in marketing‑sign rules, and an added reference asking that businesses display the U.S. flag in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code and Georgia law.
Why it matters: The changes aim to reduce sign clutter from weekend marketing signs, clarify which residential subdivisions may use temporary sales signage, and add a compliance reference for business flag displays. The board’s recommendation now goes to the City Council for final action.
Board staff presented redlined language for several sections. A frequently discussed provision would limit weekend marketing signs to Friday at 5 p.m. through Sunday at 8 p.m., consistent with time windows already in the ordinance, and would reiterate existing location restrictions for signs in public rights-of-way. Commissioners also agreed to broaden a “special sign allowance” that previously referenced only “detached single‑family dwellings” so it also covers attached single‑family products in subdivisions.
The most contested amendment was a proposed insertion addressing flags displayed by businesses. One board member (Hugh) urged adding explicit language that business flag displays follow established U.S. and Georgia codes, saying, “If you're gonna come and display a flag for business, you need to follow these regs.” Another board member noted that the U.S. Flag Code is permissive—using “should” rather than “shall”—and that including the code could create administrative questions about enforcement; staff said the City Council will have final approval and recommended referencing the U.S. code in the proposed wording.
On enforcement, staff clarified that fines for weekend sign violations would be the same as those for other sign‑code violations already in the ordinance. Board members discussed administrative burden and overlap between the proposed weekend‑sign language and existing location restrictions in another section of Chapter 43; staff said the redline was intended to make the rules easier to apply and that remaining overlap could be resolved in Council review.
The board voted to forward the proposed redlined sign ordinance to the City Council with the inclusion of the U.S. Flag Code and Georgia law reference for business flag display (item 10). The motion to forward the recommendation passed on a voice vote; the transcript does not include a roll‑call tally.
What’s next: City staff will prepare a transmittal to the City Council with the board’s redline and the suggested language on flag display. Council will consider the amendments at a future meeting and may modify the language before final adoption.
