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Augusta council adopts ordinance loosening signage limits for multi-tenant strip centers
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Summary
The council approved Ordinance No. 22-58 to apply C-3 sign regulations to multi-tenant strip centers in C-2 zones, allowing signs sized as a percentage of building façade rather than a fixed 32 sq ft limit; the measure passed with one dissenting vote.
The Augusta City Council on a voice vote approved Ordinance No. 22-58, amending Articles 8.4 and 8.11 of the zoning regulations to change billboard and multi-tenant signage standards.
Staff presented the amendment as an effort to align city rules with Butler County and Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) frontage standards and to address situations where a single building houses multiple storefronts. Speaker 1 said the change would not rezone land uses but would allow multi-tenant strip centers in C-2 zones to follow C-3 sign rules so the aggregate signage allowance is calculated per building rather than per tenant. "If it's something you're typically going to always approve, then it would be recommended to update your zoning regs accordingly," Speaker 1 said.
The ordinance replaces a fixed-size cap under some C-2 rules — historically a 32-square-foot limit in certain cases — with a percentage-based standard tied to building façade area (staff described a 10% aggregate limit). Staff clarified that C-3 standards still scale by street classification: staff cited maximums under C-3 such as 64 square feet for arterial frontage, 36 for collector streets and 24 for local streets, and noted separate illumination standards (dimmers/timers) remain enforceable.
During public comment, tenant Nick Wilhelm, who operates Gambino's pizza at the Belmont strip, urged the council to permit a larger illuminated wall sign on the Ohio-facing side of his building so his business would be visible after dusk and could display weekly specials. "I plan on having an electrician come and illuminate the backside of it so it can be seen in the dark," Wilhelm said, describing a used sign he purchased and plans to mount and light.
Several council members questioned whether applying C-3 rules uniformly to pockets of C-2 would undermine distinctions between those districts, especially where C-2 parcels abut residential areas or Elmwood Cemetery. Speaker 2 expressed concern that larger facade-based signs could be inappropriate in residential-adjacent locations. Staff responded that the amendment applies only to multi-tenant strip centers, not every C-2 use, and that variances for sign size remain an available remedy for unique properties.
Speaker 5 moved to adopt Ordinance No. 22-58. The council recorded votes by name during roll call: Martin, Bailey, Scott, Richardson and Davis voted yes; Marr voted no. The motion carried.
The ordinance takes effect according to the city’s standard publication and ordinance timeline; enforcement will continue to reference separate illumination and freestanding sign rules for nighttime brightness and placement.
