Title
Legislative Matter No. 980275. Petition 155TCH-98PB, City Plan Board. Amend the City of Gainesville Land Development Code to allow temporary signs for for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations.
Explanation
In March the Plan Board heard Petition 32TCH-98PB, addressing temporary signs associated with special sales or events. That proposal allowed temporary signs for businesses for up to three days at a time, as many as six times a year. While going through the adoption process, the petition was withdrawn so that staff could address broader issues. The proposed amendment is similar to the first petition in that this petition also addresses signage for special events or sales. This petition changes the sign code to allow businesses to have temporary signs. Businesses would be allowed to have up to two temporary signs (such as banners) displayed with a maximum total sign area of 32 square feet. Under the current code, temporary signs and banners in general are not allowed.
Non-profit organizations will be allowed one sign up to 32 square feet regardless of the zoning district in which they are located. The existing code does not allow non-profit organizations such as churches and fraternal organizations to display signs in residential areas. This petition would allow all non-profit organizations, regardless of zoning, one sign of up to 32 square feet.
The Plan Board had concerns about the complexity of enforcement, the proliferation of temporary signs, and the number of days without a restriction on the number of times a sign could be displayed. The Board, after hearing the concerns of the public and members of the City Beautification Board, recommends approval of the petition with modification. The modification includes changing the square footage for yard sale signs from 6 square feet to 4 square feet, reduction of staff's recommendation for non-profit organizations from 32 square feet to 16 square feet, reduction of the amo...
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