Moratorium on Signs Because of Recent Decision
An increasing number of communities across the country have responded to the recent U.S. Supreme Court case of Reed v. Town Gilbert by enacting moratoriums on sign permitting while they figure out if their community’s sign code is legally compliant.
Unfortunately, some of these measures aren’t just applying to temporary signs, but to all types of signs – including permanent, outdoor signage. For sign and visual communications companies working in these jurisdictions, it could mean being unable to get their customers’ signs permitted and installed during the moratorium, potentially harming business. So far, ISA is aware of moratoriums proposed and enacted in response to Reed that last anywhere from 30 to 45 days, but many sign and visual communications industry professionals know that these measures often drag on long past their original time frame.
ISA believes that sign moratoriums are a harmful overreaction to the Supreme Court ruling and are not needed to review a sign ordinance. That’s why ISA is working with thousands of planners and other local officials to educate them on how to comply with Reed, and also to persuade them not to enact moratoriums.
If your community has enacted or is considering a sign moratorium in response to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, please contact ISA’s David Hickey for assistance.
