City and Chamber of Commerce officials are urging local businesses to attend a public hearing on Clarendon’s sign ordinance next Monday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Burton Memorial Library.
Municipal regulations on signage have been in place for several years, but recent questions have prompted the city to call for the public hearing to consider whether to change the ordinance or enforce it as it currently written.
City Administrator David Dockery told the Clarendon Economic Development Board of Directors Monday that one of the city’s concerns is over what’s known as “off premise signs,” which are prohibited by the current ordinance. An off premise sign is one that is not attached to a business or not on property owned by the business and where the business is located.
Dockery said there are currently several signs in violation of the ordinance, but completely doing away with the city’s prohibition on off premise signs would open the door to the city having signs everywhere. The city would like to have input on how best to deal with this issue.
Billboards are considered off premise signs also, the administrator said, and having no control on those signs could be detrimental to the appearance of the city.
The ordinance also currently prohibits variable message signs such as digital signs that are currently in place in certain locations. Input is also being sought on those signs.
The Chamber last week alerted its members to the upcoming hearing and emailed a link to the current ordinance to its membership. Copies of the ordinance are also available at City Hall and at the Visitor Center.
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