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Commission discusses revisions to sign ordinance, defers some changes and adopts rule requiring petitioners to appear
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Summary
Commissioners reviewed a draft sign ordinance addressing interim signs, electronic-copy brightness, downtown historic-district mapping, and temporary-sign cumulative duration; they agreed to refine the map and deferred major duration changes until fuller attendance, and they voted to require petitioners or authorized representatives to appear at hearings.
The Planning Commission conducted an extended discussion of a draft sign ordinance intended to replace the city’s current sign rules. Commissioners raised multiple issues, including whether the draft addresses off-site signs, how to measure electronic changeable-copy brightness, and whether the downtown historic-district map in the draft matched the commission’s written description of nine square blocks.
The Chair summarized past work by a subcommittee and noted that the proposed ordinance length (about 12 pages) includes pictorial examples and expanded definitions. Commissioners questioned a provision that would allow a cumulative 150 days per calendar year for temporary signs, noting the commission’s prior version limited temporary signs to 30 days. One member said many municipalities are stricter and questioned whether 150 days per year was appropriate.
Legal counsel or staff (on the record) said the commission was holding discussion and that any formal adoption would require public notice and a city-council hearing; commissioners indicated they might return the ordinance to the council with recommended map corrections so a public hearing could proceed.
Separately, commissioners debated a procedural remedy for petitioners who fail to appear. After discussion a motion to amend commission procedures was made and passed to require that petitioners either be present at hearings or designate an authorized representative in writing when they submit an application.
Commissioners agreed to place the sign ordinance back on a future agenda with map corrections and to solicit broader attendance and review before making a formal recommendation to city council.
