HUDSON, OH (March 4, 2020) – At the March 3, 2020 City Council Meeting, Council voted to adopt and implement the proposed Land Development Code Sign Regulation Amendments. The amendments reflect significant efforts to simplify and relax the 20-year-old sign regulations so merchants can more easily utilize signage to advertise their businesses. These amendments are only the first step towards an updated and improved sign code. Council is committed to regularly updating our codes to keep up with changes in the Hudson community.
Moving forward, the City will monitor how the new amendments affect merchants and will continue to make changes that support the merchants and business community. Council appreciates the significant time and effort the merchant community has dedicated to these updates.
The amendments are summarized as follows:
- Window Signage: The pre-existing standards only allowed permanent window signs if no building/wall sign was proposed; required a design review and a zoning certificate; and had complicated multi-tiered criteria for window signs. The adopted amendment significantly simplifies the standards and allows one third of any window opening to be utilized for signage. The amendment does not distinguish between permanent and temporary and no longer requires a permit for such signage. Merchants will also be able to install window signs in addition to building or wall signs.
- A-frame Signs: The pre-existing standards do not permit A-frame signs in the community. The adopted amendment would permit A-frame signs to be placed next to a merchant’s building to allow advertising to passersby while also maintaining pedestrian safety.
- Projecting Signs: The pre-existing standards only allow projecting signs for first-floor tenants with at least 12 feet of street frontage. The adopted amendment will remove the 12-foot minimum width, allowing any first-floor access, such as a man door leading to upper level tenants, to have a projecting sign.
- Ground Signs: The pre-existing standards permit one permanent ground sign per 500 feet of street frontage. This standard has been revised to 300 feet to provide additional signage opportunities for businesses located on larger lots.
In addition to the above amendments, Council has directed staff to review signage allowances for places of religious worship and other non-residential uses to determine if any further amendments should be considered.
The effort to update the sign regulations began in 2019 when merchants raised concerns with several sign standards based on enforcement cases. The City worked with a stakeholder group made up of area merchants to gain insight and feedback regarding the proposed amendments. A moratorium was placed on sign code enforcement through March 31, 2020 to allow time for changes to be implemented.