Rockville Chamber urges council to soften proposed ban on illuminated freestanding signs and EMCs

Margie Graff, president and CEO of the Greater Rockville Chamber of Commerce, used the community forum at the Feb. 9 mayor and council meeting to ask the city to reconsider proposed sign provisions in Article 10 of the staff draft zoning ordinance. Graff said the language would prohibit internally illuminated freestanding signs and electronic message centers (EMCs) visible from the public right-of-way and argued that such signage is an essential business tool, not a cosmetic feature. "These changes would significantly disadvantage [small and mid-sized] businesses," she said, noting that internally illuminated monument, pole and pylon signs provide visibility at night and in bad weather.

Graff told the council the draft would affect both new and existing businesses: current signs might be grandfathered, but a change of copy, such as a new tenant or logo update, could eliminate that status and require removal after eight years, imposing costs on businesses. She warned the draft definition could sweep in on-premises digital signs such as gas-station price displays, drive-thru menu boards and bank drive-thru signs. Graff recommended that Rockville consider established regulatory approaches used elsewhere — brightness limits, automatic dimming and reasonable timing controls — instead of an outright prohibition, and asked the city to work with the business community to balance community character with businesses' need to be visible to customers.