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Board forms subcommittee to review Sebastopol sign ordinance
Summary
The board created a subcommittee (two board members plus a community member) to draft edits to the city's sign ordinance after public and business testimony urged more flexibility for creative, pedestrian-friendly signage.
At the Sept. 24 meeting the Sebastopol Design Review Board voted to form a subcommittee to examine and propose edits to the city's sign ordinance.
Board member Len, who has drafted proposals arguing for larger and more artistic signs downtown, emphasized that signage helps small businesses attract customers and said the current ordinance can be unduly restrictive. Jane Riley, interim community development director, advised the board to use a subcommittee to avoid Brown Act serial-meeting issues and suggested staff meet once with the subcommittee before the group returns recommended edits.
Mariah, representing downtown merchants, told the board she collected signatures from local businesses and said many downtown owners support modestly relaxed rules that would allow more artistic signage within clear controls. Mariah volunteered to serve on the subcommittee. The board voted to appoint Len and Christine as the board representatives and Mariah as the community member; an alternate was named.
Board members asked that the subcommittee coordinate with staff, meet at least once to review the draft ordinance, and return recommended language for future board consideration. The subcommittee carries no immediate regulatory effect; any recommended changes would return to the board (and likely to the Planning Commission and City Council) for formal review and adoption.
