Temporary off-premises signs should be targeted by the Zoning Office!

Signs put up without a required permit are causing "clutter" along Linden Street and other thoroughfares throughout the city. In some cases they can cause public safety issues. Signs are not permitted within a clear sight triangle at each intersection.

The City’s Zoning Office should start a public awareness campaign to inform property owners of temporary off-premises sign use and to enforce the regulations to remove non-permitted signs from the edges of roads and streets.

There has been an explosion of temporary signs in the City. Many of the signs require a permit. Owners either do not get a permit or they have no idea that they need one. All off-premises signs, regardless of size, require the issuance of a zoning and building permit before erection, placement, or replacement. And, all signs must comply with all of the sign regulations, regardless of whether or not a permit is required.

City zoning regulations allow for the use of temporary signs with a permit. A temporary sign or advertising display is generally constructed of cardboard, cloth, canvas, fabric, plastic, plywood, or other light material, with or without a structural frame and designed or intended to be displayed for a short period. An encroachment permit is required from the Public Works Department for each sign located in the public right-of-way, prior to the issuance of a sign permit.

One can understand that signs are important to local businesses and organizations. For a lot of them, a sign is a big way to get the word out about an event or service, but everyone should adhere to the rules about how long such signs can be displayed. Sometimes they take forever to come down.