Bigger, bolder flashing advertising signs could soon be popping up in Signal Mountain if proposed changes in the town’s sign ordinance are approved.
New council member Dr. Bob Spalding – a podiatrist and small business owner who based his campaign for office partially on opposition to the ordinance – is proposing a major overhaul in the town’s approach to outdoor signs.
The proposed amendments would increase the maximum square foot area allowed per sign from 25 square feet to 32 square feet, according to documents Dr.
Spalding provided to his fellow council members for study.
Larger buildings would be allowed to have larger signs, according to the proposed revisions. “For example,” the document notes, “a building with a linear store front of 200 feet could have a freestanding sign “not to exceed 50 square feet” . . . a building with 300 feet could have a freestanding sign not to exceed 75 square feet.”
Other proposed changes include:
- Allowing signs with flashing or alternating lights or changing colors (electronic reader boards and electronic marquee signs), which are currently prohibited except at gas stations.
- Amending ordinance to allow signs six feet high, rather than the current four feet.
- Omitting the requirement that business logos take up no more than 10 percent of the total area of a sign.
- Modifying allowable signage to be based on the size of the storefront – the larger the building, the more signage allowed.
- Allowing one sign for each tenant in multi-tenant developments. A secondary sign could be allowed if the street frontage is more than 100 feet, the site is located at the intersection of two or more streets, it is a drive-through establishment or for other possible reasons.