Planning commission backs content‑neutral sign‑ordinance changes, moves amendments to City Commission

At its Feb. 12 meeting the Lapeer City Planning Commission recommended that the City Commission consider a package of text amendments to the City sign ordinance (Article 17) and related zoning sections to ensure content neutrality and streamline temporary sign rules.

Planner Ben explained the changes are intended to align the local code with the Supreme Court’s Reed v. Town of Gilbert decision (which requires content neutrality), to simplify the temporary sign table, and to remove specific content‑based examples that could be read as content regulation. The draft calls for clearer, content‑neutral standards on sign size, height, placement and safety, and it removes enumerated content categories (for example, separate rules that previously singled out commercial signs or church signs).

Commission discussion focused on three recurring items: decorative string lights, signs that could be confused with traffic control, and temporary political signs in residential neighborhoods. Commissioners agreed to raise the permitted duration for temporary decorative string lights from 60 days to 120 days to accommodate common holiday periods. For small temporary freestanding signs in residential districts the commission reached consensus to remove a fixed maximum display‑duration requirement (i.e., no calendar cap for those small temporary signs) while keeping limits on individual sign size and a modest total area cap; staff clarified that the change applies to signs that do not require permits and that the city encourages removing temporary signage when an event or message is no longer relevant.

Planner Ben said staff will produce the final ordinance language reflecting the edits discussed at the hearing. A motion to recommend approval of the proposed text amendments (Articles 13, 15, 16 and 17 of the zoning code) as amended carried on a voice vote. The matter will now go to the City Commission for final consideration.