Bellevue adopts rewritten sign code that limits yard-sign registration to right-of-way displays over 48 hours

The Bellevue City Council voted unanimously to adopt a comprehensive rewrite of the city's sign code (Ordinance 6925), a multi-year effort staff said was intended to simplify regulations, conform to court precedents and provide targeted flexibility for district-specific signage.

Nick Whipple and senior planner Charlie Engel told the council the rewrite responds to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Reed v. Gilbert decision by keeping regulations content neutral and focusing on sign type, location, form and size rather than message. The updated code narrows registration requirements: yard signs on private property will be exempt; only yard signs placed in the right of way for more than 48 hours will generally require registration. Staff said the draft allows a 120-day window for temporary sign registrations and includes operational flexibility such as batch registration and possible technological approaches (QR codes) to reduce burdens.

The draft also proposes delayed implementation (staff suggested an effective date in February 2027) and an outreach and education phase so the public and businesses can prepare. Council members raised questions about political and neighborhood signage, renewals and enforcement capacity. City attorneys and staff said the code is designed to be content neutral (applying the same standards to political, nonprofit and neighborhood signs) and acknowledged enforcement will be prioritized within existing code-compliance resources.

Several public commenters urged the council either to exempt neighborhood associations from registration rules or to limit the administrative burden on volunteers. Staff explained case law constraints and said they had narrowed the registration scope and increased exemptions to respond to community input.

Deputy Mayor Hamilton moved to adopt Ordinance 6925; the motion was seconded and passed without opposition. Council and staff emphasized the council's intent to delay the effective date to allow a community education campaign and to finalize operational details (including whether batch registration or sticker approaches will be used).