Council reviews rewritten sign and outdoor-advertising rules; city to revisit prior industry feedback

The work session included an extended discussion of proposed sign and outdoor-advertising regulations that staff said had been substantially expanded compared with the current code. Patrick O’Brien, Development Services Director, said the existing sign provisions were brief and predated common electronic-display technology, and the draft incorporates more detailed standards for animation, brightness, and timing.

"Some communities have adopted dark-sky-oriented standards that require more subdued, downward-directed lighting and less prominent advertising," O’Brien said, summarizing policy options. Consultant Cherylyn Egner told Council she would retrieve and circulate prior feedback from local sign companies so members could consider whether those concerns remain relevant. Council members asked staff to highlight enforcement challenges, grandfathering equity issues, and potential trade-offs for businesses that rely on larger, brighter signs.