Commissioners press staff for options to avoid mass removal after 10‑year sunset

Commissioners spent a substantial portion of deliberations focused on how the city should treat permitted animated signs if the ANSOZ pilot is not extended after 10 years.

Planning staff said the draft ordinance, consistent with a typical sunset clause, would require removal of signs permitted during the pilot if the council does not extend the program. Commissioners voiced concern that requiring wholesale removal would be impractical and potentially unfair to owners that installed costly signs within the 10‑year period. One commissioner suggested an approach in which "each property owner within the ANSOZ boundary should have the right to submit to retain their sign" and have approval considered by council or the design review board; another urged a director‑level review to avoid requiring all property owners to appear before council.

Commissioners asked staff to prepare alternative language and processes for City Council — examples discussed included letting signs become legal nonconforming, providing a one‑year post-expiration application window to a director, or establishing criteria based on the original approval standard to evaluate extension requests. Staff agreed to present a menu of alternatives to Council when the item is forwarded.