Bellevue staff outline full sign code rewrite driven by legal constraints and community feedback

City staff presented an update on a proposed full rewrite of Bellevue's sign code at the Nov. 25 council meeting, describing legal constraints, outreach results, and possible pathways for iconic signage.

Assistant city attorney Robbie Seppler framed the legal limits the city must follow after the Supreme Court’s sign law decisions, summarizing Reid v. Town of Gilbert and saying regulations that require reading sign content to determine rules are generally impermissible. Staff said permissible regulatory levers include form, location, timing/duration, lighting, and safety considerations.

A broad outreach effort (Phase 1) included a multilingual questionnaire available in eight languages and stakeholder listening sessions; staff reported 130 questionnaire responses and three consistent themes: aesthetics and visual clutter, temporary signage (volume and maintenance), and the need to simplify and streamline the code. "Should the removal of temporary signs that are damaged, faded, or in disrepair be required?" staff reported that 94% of respondents said yes.

Key policy questions raised: Councilmembers pressed staff about enforcement options for temporary signs (registry/expiration labels, storage and retrieval logistics, complaint‑based versus proactive enforcement), how to accommodate iconic signs important to business identity (for example, Dick's Drive‑In), the treatment of nonconforming billboards, and average permitting timelines ('shot clocks'). Staff said they are exploring a location‑based approval pathway for iconic signage that could come to council for consideration and will return with draft code language and enforcement options during Phase 2.

What this means for businesses: Staff indicated the rewrite will preserve many effective existing standards (letter size, visibility allowances for high‑rise signage) while reorganizing the code to separate permanent and temporary signs and provide clearer measurement techniques and district‑based rules. For businesses that rely on unique or large landmark signs, staff said there may be a path via council‑level or site‑specific approvals, rather than content‑based exceptions.

Next steps: Staff will move from outreach to drafting (Phase 2), perform stakeholder follow‑up, and later shift to public information and education before adoption. Council asked for more detail on enforcement mechanics, permitting timelines, and nonconforming signage to be included in the next briefings.