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Solvang workshop leans toward allowing A-frame signs on private property, staff to rewrite temporary- and content-based sign rules
Summary
At the March 13 workshop, staff and committees signaled support for a limited allowance of A-frame signs on private property, a rewrite of temporary-sign regulations into time/place/manner limits, and removal of content-based provisions to comply with court precedent.
Solvang staff and advisory members spent much of a March 13 workshop debating changes to the citys sign code, including whether to allow A-frame (sandwich-board) signs, how to regulate temporary banners and feather flags, and how to replace content-based rules with objective, content-neutral standards.
Rafael, leading the discussion for city planning staff, framed the issue as a balance between supporting local businesses and protecting the villages character and pedestrian access. "Time, place, manner" must guide sign rules, he said, recommending objective, measurable limits rather than content-based phrases.
Public comment and business perspective: Tracy of the local Chamber of Commerce urged the city to permit small, tasteful A-frame signs in courtyards and side streets to help storefront visibility. "If we wanna be European, they are," Tracy said, arguing that limited A-frames and wayfinding signs can support businesses tucked away from main thoroughfares.
Legal guardrails and enforcement: Staff highlighted legal constraints: current temporary-sign language includes content-based triggers (e.g., "grand opening") that the City should remove to avoid conflict with free-speech case law. The City Attorney (unnamed) reminded attendees about enforcement options and limits, noting the city has a graduated enforcement toolbox but must weigh budget and practicality: "We try to get voluntary compliance... we can do fines... ultimately we can seek injunctive relief," the attorney said.
Emerging consensus: After wide-ranging discussion, the committees favored allowing A-frame signs on private property only (not on sidewalks/right-of-way) under a registration and time/place/manner program that would set size, placement and stability/anchoring requirements, limit the number per business, and require ADA access. Members also supported simplifying temporary-sign approvals (photo, size, short online registration) and drafting clear, measurable rules on illumination (lumens, color temperature), materials and sign size tied to storefront linear footage.
Next steps: Staff will draft objective, content-neutral language for A-frame regulations, temporary-sign registration and handbook graphics, and return with phased proposals for DRC, Planning Commission and City Council review and community outreach. The workshop closed with direction to prioritize a color palette and basic handbook items and then tackle broader sign code revisions.
