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Small-business owner urges Zephr Hills to loosen signage rules; council agrees to review
Summary
New small-business owner Michael Hines told council he was cited for a painted sign and that engineered-sign requirements doubled his costs; staff and council agreed to revisit the signage ordinance and offered promotional help through Main Street programs.
Michael Hines, owner of Geer's Old Feed Store, told the City Council on Dec. 8 that current sign standards in the CRA area are "overregulated" and are hampering new small businesses. Hines said an engineered-sign requirement doubled the quoted cost of his planned channel-letter sign from about $3,500 to $7,000 and that he was cited after painting a temporary sign on his building.
Council members and staff explained that some larger signs in the city are grandfathered, sign allowances in the CRA can be more restrictive, and that the rules (a 2'x10' allowance per frontage in some cases) were set to avoid visual clutter. Miss Hamilton and planning staff said they are working with the city's GI consultant to clarify internal inconsistencies in the sign standards and will bring draft revisions back to council. Main Street representatives offered to help promote Hines's business in its publications and outreach as an interim measure.
Council directed staff to revisit the sign ordinance and report options that balance small-business visibility with CRA aesthetic standards. Hines said he would gather other business owners and return with comments.
