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 part of a business’s total permitted signage area, must be placed off the public right-of-way and may not project above the bottom of the roof eave. Commissioners discussed but did not finalize standards for detached flags; in the discussion some commissioners said detached flagpoles might be allowed at greater heights in limited circumstances, with one participant noting a 30-foot detached-flag possibility for certain lots.

On electronic messaging centers, commissioners reviewed a detailed draft of technical controls. The commission discussed permitting EMCs in commercial districts subject to a formula-based area limit (the draft ties allowable EMC area to linear street frontage, with an absolute cap of 100 square feet), automatic dimming tied to ambient light, a maximum nighttime brightness differential (the draft referenced a 0.3 foot-candle difference), and display/transition controls to reduce visual distraction. The draft sets a minimum display time for a single message frame (the commission settled on 10 seconds as a minimum), requires at least a three-second transition for fades/dissolves, and prohibits continuous scrolling or traveling text. The draft also exempts temporary, state-required devices such as Maryland State Highway Administration road-closure signs.

Real-estate signs drew shorter discussion but a clear direction: open-house signage should be limited to the day of the open house and only while an agent is present at the property; other real-estate display rules would remain tied to the town’s standard removal and enforcement timelines (the draft retains a five-day removal rule for signs related to settlement or lease in one formulation, and staff discussed enforcement options such as fixed collection days).

Planner Sarah Franklin summarized the practical enforcement challenges. "This is a sign that doesn't need a permit ... the flag at Veterans Park is 15 feet by 25 feet, and that compares to the standard flag of 3 by 5 feet," Franklin said, underscoring why commissioners wanted explicit size limits instead of leaving the draft exemption open-ended. Commissioner Rachel Weaver said she "think[s] they should be limited in size and should go towards total square footage," reflecting the majority view that allowance of flags should not create uncounted additional advertising. Commissioner Kelly Hahn added, "I agree with Larry. Limit on size, but I don't know that I would add it to the overall structure of the total signage size," voicing the small-business concern that flags can help visibility for small storefronts.

Commissioners also asked staff to tidy and simplify other sign-code language the draft had borrowed from different code sections; for example, the EMC size formula and the wording on measurement procedures were described repeatedly as awkward and in need of clearer, step-by-step drafting so property owners and enforcement staff can apply the rules consistently.

What comes next: staff will rewrite the sign ordinance language to reflect the group’s guardrails and return a revised draft for additional review; commissioners indicated they expect to continue the discussion at the next meeting and to move toward a public hearing after the draft is clarified. The commission also agreed to replace the word "neon" with "illuminated" in the open-sign provision, per a councilmember suggestion recorded in the meeting.

Ending note: the commission’s votes on the meeting agenda and on routine minutes were procedural and carried by voice vote. No final ordinance changes were adopted at the March 26 meeting; the item remains under active staff revision and will return to the commission for formal review.