Chesapeake Beach planners narrow options on business flags, electronic signs; staff to rewrite ordinance

At the March 26, 2025 meeting, the Chesapeake Beach Planning and Zoning Commission revisited proposed changes to the town sign ordinance, focusing on business flags, electronic messaging centers and rules for real-estate signs, and asked staff to draft clearer ordinance language for a future meeting.

Commissioners said they were trying to limit visual clutter and avoid permitting very large, perennial advertising flags while maintaining options for small businesses. Town planner Sarah Franklin said the larger flag at Veterans Park measures 15 feet by 25 feet and contrasted that with a standard household flag of 3 by 5 feet.

Why it matters: commissioners said unchecked flag and electronic sign allowances can increase “sign clutter,” create enforcement burdens and raise public-safety concerns if signs are poorly placed or excessively bright. The commission’s discussion set policy direction — not final code language — and staff will return with rewritten ordinance text that implements the group’s agreed guardrails.

Commissioners converged on several practical limits for commercial flags. The group generally supported allowing a single, exempt commercial flag limited to 3 by 5 feet; that flag should be counted as…