The changes are to help clarify wording to prevent any infringement on free speech, and are directed at commercial signs and not signs that residents can put on their property, he said.
Residents are allowed to put one temporary commercial sign on their property and an unlimited number of other temporary signs, including political signs and signs that tout family accomplishments and other messages, he said.
While the sign ordinance prohibits inflatable signs, that only applies to commercial signs and would not apply to a resident placing balloons to announce a party, birth or other occasion, he said.
The new wording for digital signs will allow it to change just once in a 24-hour period, which is what is allowed at Dot’s Market, but was not officially documented, Schlagheck said.
Chad Kuhns, owner of the Country Place Plaza, 129-159 W. Franklin St., has requested the message display duration on digital signs be changed from 24 hours to 5 minutes. “It was born out of necessity for businesses to survive downtown,” he said.
One of his tenants, Amelia’s restaurant, uses a temporary reader board to get the word out about menu specials. It has increased sales 25 to 40 percent, but can only be used once every few months, he said. “I’m trying to help out our tenants. I need to make sure my tenants are in good financial condition so they stay there,” he said. Subway is expected to sign a lease agreement this week to occupy two spaces in the plaza for a new Subway restaurant seating around 50 people, to open around May, he said.
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