Pictured: Miami Code Enforcement Officer Joshua Derhammer make a presentation about the proposed Miami sign ordinance, during the Sept. 10 regular city council meeting.

The Town of Miami has proposed a sign ordinance, but members of the business community fear it might put a damper on the character of the town.

Miami Code Enforcement Officer Joshua Derhammer gave a PowerPoint presentation during the Sept. 10 regular council meeting.

After his presentation, Mayor Darryl Dalley asked Derhammer if he had received input from businesses in town about the proposed sign ordinance.

Derhammer replied that the proposed ordinance had been given to the Miami Business Alliance, and their input had already been incorporated.

However, President of the alliance, Patty Sjolin, stood up and said, “The businesses are not happy. We don’t want this.”

Councilwoman Susan Hanson suggested that the Town focus on implementing safety measures for the signs, rather than stifling creativity.

Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to table the proposed ordinance until a public hearing could be held at a later date.

During his presentation at the Sept. 10 council meeting, Derhammer said the purpose behind the proposed ordinance is to set standards for signs, encouraging development of “private property in harmony with the desired character of the town,” along with enhancing “the safety and enjoyment of travel, by the appropriate sizing and placement of signs along public streets.”

For purposes of the ordinance, a sign is defined as any “identification, description, illustration, symbol or device” affixed — either directly or indirectly — to a “building, vehicle, structure or land,” identifying or directing attention to a “product, place, activity, person institution or business,” Derhammer said.

Signs that would be exempt from the required permit include directional and political signs; signs pertaining to the lease, sale or rental of land or buildings and temporary event posters, which would have to be removed once the event had ended.

Other exempt signs include garage sale signs no larger than six square feet, which may not be up longer than three days, as well as existing signs undergoing standard sign maintenance.

Signs may not be put on town sidewalks or within public rights-of-way, Derhammer said.

Prohibited signs include:

Those placed within public rights-of-way;

Those mounted on trees, utility poles or public structures;

Any sign determined to be a safety hazard to traffic flow;

Vehicle signs or signs mounted, attached or painted on consistently-parked trailers, boats, or vehicles in a manner attracting public attention for advertising purposes.

Derhammer talked about standards for signs, including design, size, number and location, permitted standards (details by sign type), maintenance, legal nonconforming signs, nonconforming signs and unsafe signs.

Design

Reinforcing “visual continuity,” all onsite signs must incorporate design elements consistent with each other, as well as the development’s overall architectural character, in terms of their materials, height, colors and letter style, as determined by Miami’s Department of Developmental Services.

Responding to a councilmember question about the “Gramma’s House Antiques” sign, Derhammer called it “a great sign.”

“That is the kind of sign we would like to see in Miami,” he said.

Permitted signage

Onsite and offsite A-frame signs; banners; political, reader panel, freestanding monument (such as the Matheson sign) and illuminated signs.

A-frame signs

With onsite A-frame signs, placement must allow for a minimum three-foot pedestrian pathway and conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act, to and from all building entrances and exits.

As to offsite A-frame signs, the property owner of record, where the sign is to be located, must give written approval. Along with the letter of approval, a site plan must be submitted to the Town of Miami, which must give its approval prior to placement of the sign.

Maintenance

All signs and sign structures — both conforming and nonconforming — must be maintained in good order, repair and appearance at all times, so as not to constitute a danger or hazard to public safety or create visual blight, as determined by Developmental Services.

“We want to minimize distraction to drivers,” Derhammer said. “We don’t want a sign that is falling apart.”

Legal nonconforming (grandfathered) signs, which means signs lawfully existing at the time the code is enacted, but do not conform to its regulations.

A grandfathered sign may continue to be used in perpetuity, but only in the manner and to the extent that it existed at the time the code was adopted.

While it may not be altered in any way not conforming with the code, but that doesn’t apply to reasonable repair and maintenance of the sign.

Toward the end of his presentation, Derhammer talked about Miami’s proposed sign permitting process.

“It would be just like a building permit application,” he said.

Sign permit approval would be required before constructing or altering any non-exempt sign.

Application must be made in writing on forms provided by Development Services. It must include plans indicating the scope and structural detail of the work to be done, including details of all connections, supports, footings and material to be used, Derhammer said.

Before issuing the permit, the Town would also collect a fee, which Derhammer described as “small amount of money,” in accordance a fee schedule established by the Town Council.