Planning Commission backs comprehensive update to Johns Creek sign ordinance

The Johns Creek Planning Commission voted to recommend a comprehensive amendment to the citys sign ordinance after a staff presentation that proposed new measurement rules, expanded allowances for mixed-use town-center developments and large-format retailers, and a shift to online permitting.

In a presentation, Director Song said the redline revision would simplify how sign area is calculated by using the "smallest rectangle" around a sign face rather than the previous polygon method, and would move many permitting steps online. "We're just saying, hey, a simple rectangle...the smallest rectangle possible will determine the area for the sign," Song said, explaining the change is intended to make applications and enforcement easier for applicants and staff.

The draft ordinance would change wall-sign calculations for most commercial storefronts to 1.1 square feet of allowed sign area per linear foot of storefront. For town-center mixed-use areas (the ordinance labels that district "TCX"), wall signs would be calculated at 1.5 square feet per linear foot to reflect internal-facing retail and boulevard-style development. Director Song described the TCX provision as intended to "give [developers] flexibility" for courtyard and marquee signage.

Big-box and large-format tenants would be treated differently: stores of roughly 50,000 square feet or greater could have up to three wall signs on a single wall so long as the aggregate area does not exceed 250 square feet; for those walls staff proposed applying a 1.0-square-foot-per-linear-foot formula rather than the 1.1 rate used elsewhere. The amendment also proposes tiered freestanding-sign allowances for large, contiguous mixed-use developments, with higher maximum areas for primary and prominent signs.

On electronic displays, staff noted the draft restricts use of LED and animated displays visible from rights of way, while allowing limited interior electronic directories for TCX developments. For gas stations, the draft allows non-LED scrolling-price displays but limits price updates to once per 24-hour period.

Commissioners pressed staff on enforcement and transition rules. Commissioner Horton asked whether staff measures installed signs in the field; Song said code enforcement follows up after a permit is issued and staff uses wall elevations submitted with permits to verify size. On whether existing signs would be grandfathered, Song said those signs would remain legal until the owner elects to replace them.

Staff said the city processes roughly 150 sign permits year-to-date in 2024 and expects permit volume to grow with developments such as Medley; Song said the target review time for sign permits is 10 business days for typical applications. "Medley is gonna be significant," Song said when discussing expected workload.

Commissioner Jackson moved to accept staffs recommendations and Commissioner Horton seconded; the commission recorded the motion as passing 6-0. The recommendation will move to the City Council for consideration.

The commission asked staff to continue outreach and to clarify any provisions that might need further tightening before council review, particularly enforcement language for temporary and interior signs. Staff also noted they would reserve a currently-unused section of the code for future use where appropriate.

The commission adjourned the item by approving the staff redline as transmitted to the council.