OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – After complaints of decaying, pale and damaged down signs seen outdoors Oklahoma City companies and alongside metro streets, town is now taking steps to spruce issues up.
“Day one, the city is not going to go out and cite everybody,” stated Lisa Chronister, the Assistant Planning Director for OKC.
Chronister stated if the Oklahoma City Council passes new and up to date signage codes, town would be capable of tear down dilapidated and abandoned signs.
“Perfect timing, right?” stated Shaun Branch, proprietor of Eden Rose Dispensary.
Branch instructed News 4 he learn concerning the potential modifications and had some issues as a result of fixing enterprise signs could be very costly.
“You’re looking at a time where we’re just getting out of COVID [and] inflation. Everybody’s having problems,” stated Branch. “Our sign has been damaged several times over the past three years. Just for the panel of our sign to get redone would be about $5,000.”
Chronister stated beneath the proposed guidelines, earlier than town council could act, a grievance would must be known as in.
“Someone would have to call it in, code enforcement would go and inspect to see what the situation is, and talk with the property owner,” stated Chronister.
She stated if that and a effective doesn’t get the message throughout, the choice to take down the signal would go to town council.
“There’s always time for the property owner to make improvements before any citations or legal processes happen,” stated Chronister.
There are additionally up to date codes for email correspondence shows, billboards, monument signs and murals.
Chronister stated they are going to be regulated to guard folks dwelling in close by neighborhoods from the brilliant lights.
“We’ve also increased the distance of EMD signs from 150 feet to 300 feet from neighborhoods,” stated Chronister.
The metropolis stated most billboard sizes will keep the identical as they’re now, however there are some downtown and business areas the place new billboards will probably be restricted to 200 sq. toes and at 20 toes excessive.
The metropolis can be incentivizing in-ground monument signs over by permitting extra signage house than a pole signal.
The up to date guidelines would additionally affect murals. Right now, textual content can solely cowl 10% of a mural. If the artists desires extra textual content, they’ll ask the Arts Commission, who’s engaged on a algorithm.
Branch requested News 4 what would occur if Oklahoma’s extreme climate hit and destroyed his present enterprise signal.
“Are they grandfathering people in? That would make sense,” stated Branch.
“People can keep their existing signs, they can maintain them, they can replace them, they can put in a new sign face without having to come into compliance with the new code,” stated Chronister.
The Oklahoma metropolis Council is ready to vote on the brand new guidelines on October 25th.
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