10/17/23 - I Saw the Sign

I'll confess, I don't usually have much to say about signs, but there is a small portion of the sign code that I found utterly fascinating, and that needs significantly more clarity. I'll just go ahead and reproduce it here.

17.4 Abandoned Signs

A. Unless specifically allowed by this Article, any sign which is located on property which becomes vacant and unoccupied for a period of three months or more, or any sign and structure which pertains to a time, event or purpose that no longer applies, is deemed abandoned.

B. Abandoned signs and structures are prohibited and shall be removed. If a sign on a shared support structure is abandoned, the sign and any structure particular to that sign shall be removed.

What does this mean for billboards on vacant buildings? What does this mean for redevelopment, as 3 months isn't very long? The code explicitly states that the desired intent of this section is to minimize sign nonconformity, so it's easy to read this section maximally, but I do think there are going to be a number of building owners surprised to be notified that their signs must be removed.

I have a few other brief sign observations, and then I'll 'sign' out and leave the rest to the pros.

• Why give gas pumps a video sign exemption? Make gas stations work for it.

• One sign per street frontage for construction is just not enough. Between developers and GCs and lenders and renderings, construction signage should be significantly more permissive.

• Is there going to be any enforcement of the new parking lot sign regulations? Nearly every parking lot downtown has rolled over and been inundated in signage that breaks these rules. It's unlikely any permits were even pulled to put the signs up in the first place.