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Pepper Pike council adopts ordinance banning future changeable-message signs
Summary
The Pepper Pike City Council on Aug. 21 adopted Ordinance 24-18, revising the sign code to prohibit future changeable-message signs, add daylight/nighttime brightness and hours rules, and move limited provisions to a non-codified section while carving out one plaza sign for further negotiation.
The Pepper Pike City Council voted unanimously Aug. 21 to adopt Ordinance 24-18, a comprehensive revision to the city's sign code that prohibits the installation of new changeable-message signs and updates technical standards for existing displays.
The ordinance, sponsored by the council member leading the drafting effort, moves many operational details for a small set of existing electronic signs into a non-codified portion of the ordinance while removing the option for future changeable-message signs except by individual variance. The sponsor said the change was driven by both safety and aesthetic concerns: "I drafted this legislation to eliminate changeable message signs going forward," he said during the meeting.
Why it matters: council members said the ordinance aims to reduce driver distraction and preserve neighborhood character. The new rules add an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. operational limit for freestanding signs, require automatic dimming tied to ambient light, and set a positive-contrast color preference (amber characters on a black background) and legibility standards intended to improve readability and minimize brightness-related glare.
Key provisions and exceptions - Ban on new changeable-message signs going forward, with the city retaining the ability to grant variances on a case-by-case basis. - Technical and operational rules (non-codified for limited applicability): message duration/transition language, brightness limits measured above ambient light, automatic dimming, and other industry-standard controls. - Monument-sign limits revised for retail properties; the ordinance clarifies when electronic-component upgrades are allowed for some nonconforming signs. - A specific carve-out was inserted for the large plaza sign adjacent to the traffic circle at 36659 Pin Tre Road so staff and plaza representatives can continue negotiations without the immediate mandate to change existing message practices.
Council discussion and next steps Members walked through edits across the redline and a second document showing consolidated changes. Supporters called the text an update that modernizes the city's sign code and preserves options for distinctive civic and institutional signs (library, school, shopping center). One council member emphasized the dual purpose of the legislation: "it's not just a safety issue; it's an aesthetic issue as well," and several members said they expected continued meetings with plaza representatives to reach a local accommodation for that sign.
The motion to adopt Ordinance 24-18 as amended carried by roll-call vote. The final signed ordinance will be filed with the city clerk's office and staff will continue discussions with affected property owners on transitional operations.
What to watch for: follow-up items include posted final ordinance language from the clerk's office, any variance applications from property owners, and future Planning Commission review if the city moves to amend the uncodified sections into codified language.
