OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON PROPOSED UPDATED SIGN ORDINANCE
An Open House has been scheduled by the Suffolk Planning & Community Development Department for Wednesday, June 30, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Suffolk City Hall, 442 West Washington Street, in order for the public to provide input on the proposed update to the Sign Ordinance.
The informal presentation will be held in the City Hall Lobby and staff will be on hand to answer any questions. The Open House may be especially informative for local business and real estate professionals to attend in order for them to provide their input, comments, and to understand proposed revisions.
In 2015, the United States Supreme Court found in Reed v. Town of Gilbert that sign regulations cannot be content based. Localities, including the City of Suffolk, are working to update their sign regulations to comply with this decision. Staff is analyzing the current sign regulations to assure that signs are regulated by type and location versus content. In addition, it also makes sense to review the current regulations to determine if there is some need to correct standards that are too restrictive, problematic, or in need of updating due to advancements in design and technology.
An updated draft of the sign ordinance was presented to the Planning Commission, which in turn, forwarded the proposed regulations on to the City Council with a recommendation for approval. However, prior to taking formal action, the City Council requested that greater opportunities for additional community and staff input be provided, and the upcoming Open House will ensure that these objectives are met.
For questions or comments on the draft sign regulations, please call the Planning Division at 757-514-4060, or email them at PlanningEmail@suffolkva.us.
Additional information, including the draft document and links to view the previous City Council presentation on the topic, can be found on the Planning & Community Development website: www.suffolkva.us/1553/Sign-Regulation-Updates