Plan Commission begins sign ordinance debate

• Directional signs like these are illegal under the current ordinance

Directional signs like these at the corner of Second and Buckeye streets have prompted a review of Hudson’s sign ordinance. They’re illegal under the current ordinance. Photo by Randy Hanson

Talk about it

The Hudson Plan Commission devoted more than an hour of its Thursday, Dec. 10, meeting to a discussion of possible revisions to the city’s sign ordinance.

Mayor Dean Knudson has asked the commission to recommend changes to regulations on three types of signs that he says are proliferating – business and temporary directional signs, vinyl banner signs and sidewalk sandwich-board signs.

He also wants new rules on electronic message board signs, which haven’t gone up in large numbers yet, but likely will if the current ordinance isn’t tightened.

On Nov. 18, Knudson issued an executive order establishing a 60-day moratorium on new electronic message signs.

He would like a revised sign ordinance that allows “fair and uniform enforcement” of rules in place before the moratorium is lifted.

Judging from last week’s free-ranging discussion by the Plan Commission, the work could take some time.

Community Development Director Dennis Darnold said he would use the input to begin drafting possible revisions to the sign ordinance.

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