Sign Ordinance to be Reviewed Amid New Enforcement Approaches

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The opinions expressed in these articles and features are those of their author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of McANA or the opinion of its Directors or Officers.

Much to the delight of McANA and other Neighborhood Associations throughout Indianapolis, Mayor Bart Peterson has announced the long awaited review of the Marion County Sign Ordinance. But, that is not all. Mayor Peterson added three more supporting balustrades to the plan with the addition of a Code Compliance position to work exclusively with signs, an exciting new method of obtaining compliance with both the current and soon to be revised sign codes, and a temporary moratorium on new billboards while the ordinance is under review. Lets take the pieces of the Mayor’s proposal one at a time and see how they will work individually and how they all come together to create a strong, fortified program to clean up the sign clutter so many neighborhood activists have been fighting against for some time now.

A comprehensive review of the Sign Ordinance has been of growing concern for years now. Astoundingly, the sign ordinance has seen only partial reviews since its inception in 1972. Eroded by time, technology, and variances, the ordinance is cumbersome to enforce and finds few supporters. Neighborhood groups have seen sign clutter grow, making their areas look haphazard and increasingly rundown. Remonstrance by these citizens in opposition to variances, particularly for billboards, has had an critical impact on the frequency with which they are granted.

The chorus of impatience with the existing ordinance peaked last year when every one of committees examining aspects of the Community Values Component of the Comprehensive Plan, spoke to the need for a comprehensive Sign Ordinance review. These committees revolved around eight broad issues: 1) Cultural, Social, and Education, 2) Economic Development, 3) Environment, Parks, and Open Space, 4) Land Use Standards, 5) Neighborhoods and Housing, 6) Redevelopment, 7) Regionalism, and 8) Transportation and Infrastructure. Over 700 citizens representing all interest groups participated for over 3500 hours. And, it bears repeating; every committee recommended that the sign ordinance be reviewed and updated.

The Administration expects that the review process will take a year to complete. As part of the planning process, they have also initiated the request for a co-incident year long moratorium on new billboards. The moratorium has broad support among Marion County Neighborhood Associations, and many of the largest ones were represented at the Metropolitan Development Commission hearing on April 2, 2003. The Commission, however, amended the proposal from a one year to a six month moratorium, which passed with a unanimous vote.

The moratorium request now moves to the City County Council where a proposed ordinance is being co-sponsored by Councilors Lance Langsford and Karen Horseman. Mr. Langsford’s Department of Metropolitan Development Committee is expected to hear the proposal at its April 21st meeting. (5:00 pm, Room 260, City-County Building)

The Mayor’s multi-pronged approach to sign control also includes an intriguing new enforcement tool. Patterned after successful programs in other cities, Indianapolis’ Code Enforcement personnel will begin affixing dayglow orange stickers to signs with the notice that, indeed, the sign is placed illegally. This should reduce the improper location of signs and educate the public at large, who ordinarily only see the signs come and go. And, go they will, as DPW crews will confiscate the signs once tagged. ‘Coordinated, targeted efforts’ such as the highly successful initiative in September, 2001, will further reduce clutter on a periodic and ongoing basis.

And, last, but certainly not least, the Mayor has approved the creation of a new position within the Division of Compliance to oversee nothing but signs. The first assignment for the Sign Inspector will be to catalog the location of every billboard in the County, inspect sites where permits have been requested, and follow up that they were erected where they were supposed to be. The Inspector will ultimately tackle all the other sign problems facing our City. Whew! Now that’s a job! And with these multiple approaches fortifying each other, Indianapolis will increasingly become our Fair City.