This year’s review was sparked by complaints from the new Holiday Inn Express at I-75 and West Main Street that sign size and height regulations meant the business could not place a sign big enough to attract motorists off the interstate.
TIPP CITY — A third set of amendments to the city sign code since 2003, this time dealing exclusively with signs along Interstate 75, has been approved by the Tipp City City Council.
Proposed changes were debated for several weeks before an unanticipated unanimous vote supporting the changes on June 21.
In 2003, the council proposed to lower the highway sign height of up to 70 feet to 20 feet, but then compromised on 40 feet. Adjustments were made in 2008 to bring regulations more in line with court rulings.
This year’s review was sparked by complaints from the new Holiday Inn Express at I-75 and West Main Street that sign size and height regulations meant the business could not place a sign big enough to attract motorists off the interstate. Lack of that traffic, Holiday Inn Express officials said, threatened their business.
Council first asked the planning board to review the sign code and make recommendations. That occurred in May.
The board recommended an increase in maximum sign size to 250-square-feet per face compared to the existing 120 square feet. Also recommended was a sign height of 70 feet plus a possible 20 percent variance, up from the existing 40 feet with a possible 10-foot variance.
The council adopted both recommendations.
The planning board also recommended the regulations apply to properties within 660 feet of the interstate. The current ordinance allows highway signs on properties fronting the interstate or one of the exit/entrance ramps.
After a review of where the 660 feet would fall, such as far east as the Food Town parking lot, the council chose to use a map. The map outlines properties along the interstate and the exits at West Main Street and County Road 25A that will be covered by the new highway sign regulations.
The largest point of contention in the latest sign code discussions was whether to allow variances beyond the 20 percent proposed in sign height.
Several council members pointed to an opinion received from Eric Kelly, a Ball State University professor who reviewed the code for the city in 2008, to support their position of not allowing variances except in sign height.
Kelly said allowing for variances is “extremely problematic” except in height considerations when topography affects a sign’s visibility.
Councilman Joe Gibson, who encouraged more variance provisions in regulations, said variances are needed for the city to be more business friendly. He said the issue might return to council.
The highway sign review was just part of a planned comprehensive review of city sign and other codes. Before the June 21 vote, Gibson said he was calling “for council to keep an open mind as it looks at the rest of the sign code and, perhaps, this issue can be revisited.”
Matt Owen of the Tipp City Area Chamber of Commerce said business saw the changes as a step in the right direction. “Does it go far enough? I think time will tell,” Owen said.
Contact this reporter at nancykburr@aol.com
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