Ralph Booker from the Plymouth Plan Commission presented an ordinance amendment to the Plymouth City Council Monday night based on a Supreme Court decision.
According to Booker, two years ago the Supreme Court decided that a sign cannot be regulated by reading it. A sign may be regulated by its location, its type and the length of time that it is at a particular location.
While that was a considerable change, Booker said another significant change was made to the number of signs allowed for businesses.
“In the last year, all of our fast food companies have come in and asked for more signs and they were all granted a variance and I’ve always said if you’re going to grant everybody a variance why have it in your ordinance. We do still limit only two signs in our C-1, C-2, I, BP and PUD districts, but four signs are now allowed in our C-3 commercial district, which is out there where Walmart is in that particular stretch,” explained Booker.
Temporary sign regulations were added to the ordinance which includes the type, height and area, illumination, and zoning district specific standards. In a commercial, industrial, BP or PUD zoning district, the ordinance states “one temporary sign requiring a permit in excess of six square feet may be placed on a property for no more than 60 days in a calendar year.” The ordinance also states “one temporary sign not requiring a permit that is no more than six square feet may be placed on a property at all times. Additional temporary signs of no more than six square feet each may be placed on a property for a total of no more than 90 days in a calendar year.”
The council members unanimously approved the amendments made to the sign ordinance. A copy of the ordinance can be found in the clerk-treasurer’s office or by contacting Ralph Booker at (574) 935-8540.
