Resident raises billboard and sign-regulation concerns; staff to prepare text amendment for highway-fronting signs

A resident and property owner urged the Augusta Planning Commission to consider revising the city's sign regulations to address highway-fronting billboards, and planning staff said they will prepare a text amendment and bring it back to the commission for public review.

Kim Brun Brunkart, who said she owns property that fronts the highway and lives at 11967 Southwest 90 Ninth, described plans to place two highway-facing signs roughly 10-by-30 feet in size (she said they would be about 25 feet high) on the portion of her lot that she intends to use for signage. Brunkart said her intent was to rent space on the signs to advertisers rather than use them only for her own business and that she has discussed potential design with staff.

Staff told the commission that the current zoning and sign regulations do not provide a straightforward pathway for the request: the rules address highway-fronting signs and freestanding signs in several sections, but the existing code ties a "primary" freestanding sign to an on-premise use, and the parcel’s current mixed history and residential use complicate an on-premise determination. Staff said the request as described did not qualify for a variance under the list of varianceable items and was not a conditional use; instead, staff recommended drafting a targeted text amendment to the sign regulations and related code sections.

Planning staff reported having conducted preliminary research, including consultation with Butler County and an initial review of Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) standards that govern billboard placement and size. Staff proposed drafting a staff report, mapping the specific sections of code that would need revision, and returning to the commission with a focused public-notice plan. Staff suggested an October–November timeline to return to the commission for initial review and public comment, with a goal of taking a finalized amendment to the city council in December or January.

Brunkart asked whether a variance would be a faster route; staff responded that the variance process would not be appropriate for the on-premise definition and related sign-dimension issues. Commissioners discussed the practical challenges of applying urban-oriented sign rules to the growth area and noted that many existing highway-facing signs appear inconsistent with the strict text of the sign regulations. Staff said the proposed text amendment would aim to narrow the scope to highway-fronting land in the growth area, consider KDOT limits (height and location relative to right-of-way) and, where appropriate, align city practice with county and state standards.

Staff also flagged that text amendments require more time than a single variance hearing because they trigger public-notice requirements and multiple hearings; staff recommended returning with a complete draft and a scope of revisions before making a formal public notice or taking final action.

Next steps: staff will prepare a detailed staff report and draft text amendment language, coordinate with KDOT and Butler County as needed, and schedule the item for commission review in October or November with the intent to forward any final changes to city council by December or January.