Posted 10:29 pm Thursday, March 11, 2010
Council To Ease Sign Restrictions In Tyler
By CASEY MURPHY
Staff Writer
After receiving public input from business owners and residents, the Tyler City Council on Wednesday voted to approve changes in the city's sign ordinance, easing restrictions on what types of advertisement and holiday signs can be displayed and when.
Staff Writer
After receiving public input from business owners and residents, the Tyler City Council on Wednesday voted to approve changes in the city's sign ordinance, easing restrictions on what types of advertisement and holiday signs can be displayed and when.
Planning Director Barbara Holly
said the change will be easier for the public to understand and apply and easier for the city's code officers to enforce. She said she thinks the changes are a cost-effective way to allow small businesses to advertise while balancing it with the beauty of Tyler.
said the change will be easier for the public to understand and apply and easier for the city's code officers to enforce. She said she thinks the changes are a cost-effective way to allow small businesses to advertise while balancing it with the beauty of Tyler.
"The ordinance changes we enacted today are a significant easing of the code that should help local businesses in their efforts to promote themselves. We were hearing input that the ordinance was too restrictive. In these tough economic times, we needed to take action to support our local business community," Mayor Barbara Bass said
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that the council adopt the ordinance amending the Unified Development Code in regards to sign regulations.
Ms. Holly told council members that the code was reviewed and discussed by several committees and boards before the massive rewrite of amendments. A sign ordinance survey was conducted and had 88 participants, made up of half business owners and half residents, she said.
The public input showed that universally Tylerites felt signs should be regulated, but that the city might be too restrictive in its limitations, Ms. Holly said, adding that because of the public input and the economic downturn, the city is relaxing the ordinance pertaining to temporary sign use.
The changes primarily affect banners made of temporary material, which before required a business to display only one advertisement banner for a 30-day period, twice a year. The ordinance change will allow one banner for every 500 feet of frontage, it can be used year round and no permit will be required. The regulation is per lot, not per business.
Examples would be Times Square Shopping Center, which could have two banners for the entire center and Broadway Square Mall, would be allowed 10 banners because of its size.
Ms. Holly said the shopping center owner can determine which business displays the banner and when. Ban-ners can be rotated between businesses on one lot, she added.
A small business, not in a shopping center, can have one banner without a permit even if it doesn't have 500 square feet of frontage.
The ordinance amendment also defined holiday decorations. Ms. Holly said businesses will be allowed to have noncommercial holiday decorations outside their buildings, but that they must be taken down within seven days after the holiday.
Bandit and snipe signs, usually found on telephone poles, still will be prohibited and electronic billboard regulations will remain the same. The ordinance also will prohibit streamers, fluttering signs or any balloon-type inflatable signs. Balloons up to 18 inches have been allowed in the past.
"Striking a balance between preserving the beauty and unique character of the community and not hindering businesses in their efforts to market themselves is a challenge and should be something that we all care about," Mayor Bass said.
The ordinance changes also will affect electric fencing, which has been prohibited inside the city limits. Now, large industrial/commercial operators will be allowed to use electric fencing with some restrictions, including it must have a barrier fence surrounding it and the charge of the electric fence must be so that it wouldn't hurt children. Electric fences around large company complexes can be a source of security that deters burglars.
ANIMAL SALES
The City Council also voted to amend provisions for transient vendors selling pets on the city's street corners and in parking lots. Animal sellers always have been considered transient vendors, but pet sales were not specifically named in the ordinance. That and other language included in the ordinance amendment clarified what is required for animal sales, Ms. Holly said.
The City Council also voted to amend provisions for transient vendors selling pets on the city's street corners and in parking lots. Animal sellers always have been considered transient vendors, but pet sales were not specifically named in the ordinance. That and other language included in the ordinance amendment clarified what is required for animal sales, Ms. Holly said.
She said the amendments also allow for nonprofit organizations to be excluded from having to pay the required $150 permit fee all transient vendors must have to sell anything not from a fixed place of business. Transient vendors will be required to get the 30-day permits and will be limited to two permits per year.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that council adopt the amended ordinance.
Ms. Holly said that while reviewing the ordinance, they discovered that permits already were being enforced for other transient vendors, but the animal sellers were not specifically covered. She said the clarification would "level the playing field" with vendors, ensure animals being sold are healthy and that the vendors have the permission of the businesses to sell animals in their parking lots.
The permit is not required for people giving animals away.
