Livingston board to hold work session on temporary sign rules and directional billboards

The Livingston Board voted to hold a work session to consider changes to the town’s sign ordinance, including designated areas for temporary auction and real-estate signs and a parallel discussion about limited directional billboards and wayfinding signage.

Bruce Elder, a member of the board, argued the changes would help auctioneers and realtors. "I think we need to change the ordinance particularly on on those signs," he said, urging rules that would let directional signs go up and come down within a specific time frame so small businesses can direct customers.

Planning staff member Andre told the board the current ordinance regulates sign size, location and material and that temporary signs are permitted in all zoning districts so long as they meet the code’s limits. "The only thing that the ordinance regulates is how big the sign is, where you can put it in the ground, and what it can be made out of," Andre said. He noted that in some commercial or industrial districts temporary signs may be allowed at larger sizes.

Board members raised questions about signs placed in state rights-of-way versus city-owned property; staff advised the city can regulate signs within city limits even if they sit on state right-of-way. The board voted in favor of scheduling a work session to craft options, and also voted to add a separate discussion of potential directional billboards and government wayfinding signs to that session.

The work session will allow staff and aldermen to draft specific ordinance language, size limits and location maps before any formal ordinance change is introduced. No ordinance amendments were adopted at the meeting; the work session is intended to develop draft changes for later consideration.