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Public hearing on proposed text amendments to Temporary Sign Regulations in Article 19 of Chapter 18 of the Town Code, Sections 18-175, 18-177, 18-178, and 18-185
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EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Reed v. Town of Gilbert, ruling that the regulation of temporary non-commercial signs must be content neutral and that content-based regulation is unconstitutional. Currently, the Town of Vienna zoning code regulations of temporary signs are content based, providing different requirements for temporary real estate signs, temporary public and semi-public signs, temporary election signs, and temporary construction signs. In February 2019, the zoning administrator made a determination that the Town would enforce the least restrictive standards for all temporary signs, allowing not more than 50 square feet total for temporary signs.
At its July 6, 2020 meeting, Town Council set a public hearing for September 14, 2020, on amendments to temporary sign regulations in Chapter 18 - Zoning, Article 19, and referred the matter to the Planning Commission for consideration, utilizing a model sign ordinance developed by the Local Government Attorney's Association of Virginia.
The Planning Commission discussed and revised draft amendments prepared by staff, which were based on the model sign ordinance, at two work sessions on August 12 and August 26, 2020. The Planning Commission then held a public hearing on those proposed amendments on September 9, 2020. After closing the hearing, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the proposed amendments to Town Council.
Town Council held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on September 14, 2020. After closing the hearing, Council deferred the matter to the October 5, 2020 meeting. At that meeting, Council discussed its desire to look at temporary sign regulations adopted by neighboring jurisdictions in response to the Reed case as a basis for the Town's tempora...
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