As one of the most-visited cities in the world, Orlando FL is a perfect place for innovative visual communications like electronic message centers (EMCs). However, for years EMCs were prohibited in Orlando except in very limited circumstances.
In 2016, a local sign company brought the city’s restrictive sign code to the attention of the International Sign Association (ISA) and the Southern States Sign Association’s (SSSA). The city planning office was familiar with ISA’s sign code work, having attended several of ISA’s “Planning for Sign Code Success” workshops as well as turning to ISA for legal guidance when the Reed v. Town of Gilbert U.S. Supreme Court decision came out in 2015.
Over the next seven years and backed by research from the Sign Research Foundation (SRF) showing that EMCs are safe and help businesses succeed, ISA and SSSA worked with Orlando officials to improve the city’s sign code. Area sign companies also provided a local perspective when meeting with Orlando city and county officials.
On March 20, 2023 the Orlando city council unanimously passed their new sign code allowing EMCs.
It is incredibly difficulty to get a city to proactively change their sign code – especially to allow EMCs, since many government officials have concerns about such signs. But thanks to the efforts of ISA and SSSA, now Orlando businesses can benefit from an increased ability to communicate with those who live in and visit their fine city.
If there is a sign code issue in your community, contact us at signcodehelp@signs.org and let your local affiliated association know. We will work together to help your community develop reasonable and beneficial sign codes, so that sign companies can protect and grow their bottom line.
