Raymore mayor says sign‑code revisions clarify rules to comply with Missouri law, not to curb speech

Mayor Turnbow used the commission’s Aug. 5 meeting to reiterate five points about proposed sign‑code revisions and to respond to public concern that the updates would curb political speech.

"The proposed updates remove content based terms like political signs to align with Missouri law and constitutional protections," the mayor said, adding the revisions treat temporary signage uniformly: "Whether it's a campaign sign, a garage sale, or a community event, rules will apply consistently based on time, place, and manner, not message."

Turnbow said the city’s right of way and public property will remain protected under the revisions and that signs will still be prohibited on city property without permission. He said the updates are intended to reduce excessive signage and visual clutter at shared entryways and public spaces while protecting free expression.

"This is not about restricting speech. It never has been about restricting speech," Turnbow said, noting the city has worked on the revisions for roughly three years to ensure compliance with recent Missouri legislation and court decisions.

At the meeting the mayor also said the commission had forwarded a recommendation of approval on the revisions to the City Council. He urged residents to consult city staff for details and cautioned against relying on social‑media posts that he described as misleading.

City staff and the mayor framed the proposed changes as legal and technical updates to the city’s sign ordinance; no specific ordinance text was read at the commission meeting and no public testimony on the sign code was given during the Planning and Zoning Commission session recorded in the transcript.