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Committee adopts updated sign ordinance with substitute clearing loopholes
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Committee adopted a substitute to BL2025-1148 to reorganize and tighten the municipal sign code, clarifying digital and window‑sign rules and treating sandwich‑board signs as temporary under Title 17; the substitute and the bill as substituted passed unanimously, 9–0.
The Metropolitan Council Planning & Zoning Committee adopted a revised sign ordinance after the sponsor said the substitute cleans up language, closes loopholes and brings the code into compliance with state law.
Sponsor Council member Preppete told the committee the substitute reorganizes the sign code and removes ambiguities that had allowed inconsistent enforcement. Planning staff answered technical questions about how electronic window signs and sandwich‑board (‘‘A‑frame’’) signs would be regulated.
Planning staff explained an electronic sign contained inside a window would be treated as an electronic sign and would be subject to the illuminated window signage limit (a small percentage of the window, described in discussion as roughly 10–15 percent). Staff said message signs must remain static for a minimum display period (comments referenced an 8‑second static requirement) and that flashing or rapid changes would not be permitted.
On sandwich‑board signs, staff said Title 17 currently defines those as temporary signs; permitting procedures for signs in the right of way are handled by the department responsible for right‑of‑way permits, not within the zoning chapter itself.
After brief discussion the committee voted to adopt the substitute (9–0), then recommended approval of BL2025‑1148 as substituted (9–0).
The committee recorded no amendments beyond the substitute and did not request further study. The committee will forward its recommendation to the council for further legislative action.
