Planning commission approves updates to Jenks sign standards

The Jenks Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve revisions to Chapter 16, Article 7 of the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, updating local sign standards to clarify sign definitions and sizing and to encourage monument-style signs near highway corridors.

Planning staff member Miss Hilton presented the proposed changes, saying the amendments adjust definitions (including a clarified definition of "monument sign"), set specific square-footage limits for different sign types, and add an incentive allowing larger monument signs within 500 feet of the highway if owners choose monuments over pole signs. "What we can control within a municipality is where signs can be located. The size of the signs, the lighting, the movement of the sign, etcetera. But actual content we cannot," Hilton said.

The changes are intended to reduce inconsistent nonconforming signage and to align permitted sign sizes more closely with past approvals such as Jenks Landing. Hilton showed photo examples from Memorial Drive and Brookside to illustrate differences between pole signs, single-tenant monument signs and multi-tenant ground signs, and explained that under current code some legacy pole signs remain nonconforming but may be retained as "copy changes" (tenant name swaps) unless a structure has been vacant for six months.

During the public hearing, resident Charlotte Montgomery asked for clarification about what sign types are allowed in subdivisions and whether political signs are permitted on private property. Hilton replied that yard signs are generally allowed on private property, city code prohibits signs in the right-of-way, and disputes over content in gated neighborhoods would typically be handled through homeowners associations. The code language as adopted retains the city's ability to set size, placement and illumination rules while avoiding restrictions that would limit free speech.

Commissioners asked whether the amendments conflict with a forthcoming downtown master plan. Hilton said the downtown plan will include design standards and that the current UDO edits are intended to "clean up" language now, with time to refine design standards when the master plan is complete.

Commissioner (Speaker 6) moved for approval; Speaker 5 seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous in favor, and the amendments passed. The amendments will next go to city council for their public hearing and final action.