Chesapeake Beach planning commission starts rewrite of town sign ordinance, asks staff to draft exemptions and illumination rules

Chesapeake Beach — The Chesapeake Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 22, 2025 reviewed a draft update to the town’s sign ordinance and directed staff to return with a revised draft that (1) creates a dedicated exemptions section, (2) spells out illumination and electronic-sign rules (brightness and motion), and (3) reorganizes the code so temporary, portable and prohibited signs are easier for residents and businesses to find.

The discussion followed a slideshow by town planner Sarah Franklin, who analyzed existing signs and identified a mix of permitted signs, signs installed without permits and a number of electronic or internally illuminated displays. “A lot of this is electronic signs, and with electronic signs, your biggest issues are, like, how bright they are and how that motion is happening,” Franklin told the commission during the presentation.

Why it matters: Commissioners said clearer, shorter ordinance language and explicit exemptions would reduce enforcement confusion, protect pedestrian and driver safety and give business owners predictable rules. Council Member Kathleen Berault, who attended the meeting, said the town needs a careful but usable code: “I’m a real strong proponent of a strong signage ordinance,” she said, adding public safety and visual aesthetics should be top priorities.

What staff presented and what commissioners debated

Franklin showed photos and short video clips of signs across town that the draft labels nonconforming — examples included electronic message boards, neon “open”…