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Council introduces changes to public-notice signs and mailing for rezoning and subdivisions
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Summary
The Hammond City Council introduced an amendment to the Unified Development Code to clarify signage sizes, lettering standards and notice recipients for rezonings and subdivisions; staff recommended a 32-by-48-inch minimum sign and standardized vinyl lettering, and council asked staff to return with final language before the next public hearing.
The Hammond City Council on April 28 introduced an ordinance to revise the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) rules that govern notice signs and mailing requirements for rezonings and subdivisions. City staff told the council the changes aim to make notice signs more visible and notices more reliable for adjoining property owners.
Council members and staff debated sign size, mounting and lettering. Staff presented three sign options — the current 24-by-24-inch sign, a 32-by-48-inch sign and a 4-by-4-foot sign — and recommended a 32-by-48-inch minimum as a durable, visible standard. Council members and residents raised concerns that low-mounted signs could be overlooked and urged raising signs higher or using two stakes for better visibility.
The ordinance also addresses how notices are mailed. Staff recommended continuing to send mail to the address on property tax assessments but adding certified mail for some notices to create a delivery record. Council members noted limits: the city can only mail to addresses on the tax rolls and cannot locate every co-owner. Staff said certified mail with return receipt would create a paper trail and argued this would be a reasonable step to reduce disputes about whether notices were received.
The discussion included the mechanics of lettering on signs. Council and staff proposed standardizing lettering with vinyl or printed letters (rather than handwritten marker) to resist weathering, and agreed to add a minimum font or lettering requirement to the draft. The administration said the UDC language sets minimum standards and can allow larger or different signage when appropriate.
Staff said the change would be introduced tonight and returned for a public hearing at the next council meeting with corrections and any agreed amendments (including language about minimum font and recommended mounting height). The council voted to introduce the ordinance and directed staff to refine the draft language before final adoption.
