Council introduces sign ordinance limiting digital signage and narrows off‑site advertising

Crescent City — Councilors introduced an amendment to the city’s sign code that would permit limited digital signs in the C-2 highway corridor and restrict off-site advertising to digital displays under an amended introductory motion.

City Attorney Martha Rice and staff reviewed the proposed ordinance (No. 8-61), explaining it implements the planning commission’s recommendations with council modifications. Key elements described to council include a size cap for digital signs (32 square feet), a spacing requirement (about one digital sign per 1,750 linear feet along highway corridors within the C-2 zone) and a broader off-site advertising allowance that staff had proposed but which generated pushback.

Several councilors expressed concern about opening the city to nonlocal billboard interests and urged narrower rules. After debate the council amended the introductory motion so that off-site advertising would be restricted to digital signs only and then voted to waive full reading and introduce the ordinance by title with that amendment.

The move to introduce Ordinance 8-61 is a first-reading action; staff said a separate discussion of broader off-site advertising (non-digital) will be scheduled with full council input and possibly further planning-commission review.