The Augusta Planning Commission approved staff'recommended text changes to the city's sign regulations (Z-2025-21), including a new definition for billboards, a set of standards for billboard siting and form in the planning/growth area, and a clarification to allow multi-tenant commercial structures to follow C-3/I-1 sign rules regardless of underlying zoning.

Staff described three options: Proposal 1 would retain current city-limit rules and split planning-area regulations; Proposal 2 would align planning-area standards with Butler County (increasing maximum face area to 300 square feet, raising maximum height to 35 feet, reducing spacing to 300 feet and creating 30-foot setbacks with 100-foot residential setbacks) and allow billboards to be primary off-premise signs; Proposal 3 would make no change. Staff recommended Proposal 2 and offered draft motion language to apply those standards across zoning classifications in the planning area.

During the public hearing, Kim Brungert (11967 SW 99, Augusta) asked whether a property's frontage would meet the minimum requirement for a billboard; staff confirmed a 50-foot frontage threshold was part of existing guidance. Longtime resident Tim Shigley (10640 SW Ashley Road) urged commissioners to consider electronic lighting and dark-sky impacts, saying the community should "look at ways we can encourage these businesses to be good stewards" and noting that illuminated signs can be visible from residential areas at night.

Staff acknowledged there are separate illumination standards elsewhere in the sign code and said the current amendment package did not modify those illumination provisions but could prompt separate review. After discussion about whether agricultural and rural-residential parcels in the growth area should be included, a commissioner moved the staff draft that: defines billboards in Article 8.4, revises Section 8.11 to create city-limit and planning-area subsections, applies Butler County-like standards in the planning area (Proposal 2), allows billboards in all zoning districts within the planning area, and amends sign rules for multi-tenant centers. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The commission's recommendation will go to the City Council for final adoption; staff noted a packet typo listing the council date as 12/01/2026 and corrected it to 12/01/2025.