Lake Forest Park updates sign code to comply with recent court rulings; council adopts ordinance unanimously

The City Council on May 22 adopted Ordinance 25-1308 to amend chapter 18.52 of the Lake Forest Park Municipal Code and bring the city's sign code into compliance with recent legal decisions.

Why it matters: The revisions respond to court guidance about limits on regulating certain categories of signs and aim to balance legal compliance, enforceability and local character.

Mark Hoffman, the city’s community development director, said the ordinance is the product of planning-commission review, a Department of Commerce 60-day review, an environmental review and Committee of the Whole revisions. Hoffman told the council the planning commission recommended the draft and that staff incorporated nine requested revisions prior to public notice.

Public comment included testimony from Randy Banneker representing the Seattle King County Realtors, who told the council the draft “accommodation, particularly in dimensions, that just enables the code to sync with the industry standard” and argued signs support equitable advertising and fair-housing access. The planning director said staff made small amendments in response to comments and removed a category for temporary signs in the public right-of-way.

Council discussion thanked the planning commission and staff for an extensive, collaborative effort. No substantive last-minute changes were proposed during the adoption motion.

Action: A motion to adopt Ordinance 25-1308 was made and seconded; the council recorded a unanimous vote in favor.

Ending: The council said the update will make enforcement clearer and reduce legal exposure while preserving locally appropriate standards for signs.