Orange’s proposed code would allow yard signs of any message without a sign permit, subject to size, location, design and time limits. The rules are not in effect because the City Council has not adopted them.
What the city decided
The Planning Commission voted 5 to 0, with two members absent, to recommend that the City Council adopt the ordinance. The proposal would replace the city’s sign regulations and regulate signs by features such as size, height, location, lighting and duration, rather than by what a sign says. The City Council makes the final decision.
Where and who it affects
The proposed code creates nine sign districts. They include single family and duplex neighborhoods, multifamily and mobile home developments, and the historic overlay in Old Towne. Yard sign Types I, II and III would be allowed in every sign district without a sign permit.
Residential lots would have a combined limit of 16 square feet for all temporary signs. The documents also list a larger size for Type III signs, but they do not explain how that size interacts with the residential lot limit.
What it could mean for your property
A Type I yard sign could be up to 3 square feet, 4 feet high and displayed for no more than 60 days in a calendar year. A Type II sign could be up to 4 square feet, 6 feet high and displayed for no more than 180 days. Both would have to be installed securely in the ground.
Temporary signs could not be placed on a sidewalk or in the public right of way. They would need to leave a 4 foot wide sidewalk and stay outside clear view areas at intersections and driveways.
The signs could not use lighting, animation, reflective materials, balloons, ribbons or loudspeakers. They would have to be professionally crafted and show the installer’s phone number and installation date. Signs placed on public property, or on private property without the owner’s consent, would be prohibited.
Questions to ask before you buy or build
- Which sign district covers the property?
- How much of the lot’s 16 square feet of temporary sign area is already in use?
- Would the proposed sign location preserve the required sidewalk width and clear view area?
What happens next
The recommendation goes to the City Council for a final decision. The documents do not give a Council hearing date. Until the Council adopts an ordinance, these proposed rules are not final.