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Council directs staff to rewrite sign ordinance to ease small-business compliance
Summary
Council directed the city attorney and staff to draft changes to the sign ordinance and fee schedule to address temporary signs, off-site signs, sidewalk placement, and permit duration, while noting TxDOT restrictions on Highway 29.
Council reviewed complaints and enforcement problems related to temporary and off-site signage downtown and citywide. Code enforcement highlighted issues with A-frame and sandwich-style signs being placed in rights-of-way and on Highway 29, where TxDOT prohibits signage in the state right-of-way. Staff recommended changes to allow clearer rules for temporary signs and options for low or no fees for annual permits with property-owner permission.
"What we're talking about is the A frames, the sandwich force style... What I have found those in the right of ways, which is against city codes and state codes," the code enforcement officer said while describing recurring violations. Council directed the city attorney and staff (with code enforcement's input) to draft ordinance amendments to make sign permitting more user-friendly, limit the number of off-site signs per property, and require property-owner permission for on-site placement. The council also asked staff to consider TxDOT restrictions for Highway 29 and how those rules affect downtown businesses that rely on temporary signage to pull traffic.
Next steps: staff and the city attorney will prepare a draft ordinance and fee-schedule changes for council review.
