Below is a listing of the various cities & counties throughout the state and the status of their sign ordinances or other related sign news. Please note that the related links will take you to other Web sites, often the local newspaper, and due to active archiving by these media outlets, the link may not bring you to the source item. If you do find a broken link, please contact info@calsign.org and we will remove it.
For information on the City of LA and its proposed ordinance, click here
Year
Month
City/County
Notes
2009
March/April
Agoura Hills
Suspends parts of its sign ordinance. "Everybody's hurting," Councilmember John Edelston said. "It's why we suspended the rules on banner signs and waived permit fees - to help businesses attract more customers," reports The Acorn.
Update: The suspension continues as of October 2009. Read article.
2008
August
Aliso Viejo
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
American Canyon
Local merchants claim their sign ordinance is so strict several have shut their doors and left town.
2009
August
Antioch
Reviewed a member complaint of overcharges on permit fees by the City.
2009
January
Apple Valley
Temporarily easing restrictions banning temporary signs. The city has adopted a six-month "moratorium" on enforcement, reports the Daily Press. The new policy took affect December 1 and, if it's found not to cause a blight, may be considered for a permanent change. Read article.
2008
March
Bakersfield
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
August
Ceres
Requested sign illumination data for its code rewrite.
2008
March
Citrus Heights
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
Citrus Heights
Handyman Greg Antonucci, who after years with an unpermitted 18 sf residential sign was cited and told he could only have a 1 sf sign, fought City Hall and won. After his customers complained to the city, an amendment to the code is pending.
2008
August
El Centro
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
El Dorado County
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
August
Fresno
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
April
Gardena
The City Council approved a program that will offer $10,000 to build new signage for certain businesses, according to the LA Daily Breeze. The USC School of Policy, Planning and Development was hired -- at a cost of $35,000 -- to develop design guidelines for three major thoroughfares: Western Avenue, Crenshaw Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue. Once the council approves them, the city will pay $10,000 each for six businesses to erect new signs in accordance with the guidelines. Funded with federal Community Development Block Grant money, if successful, the city hopes to expand it next year, reports City Manager Mitch Lansdell. "We're trying to create a situation that will strengthen our economic viability." However, he added, "We will continue to prohibit pole signs, roof signs, temporary lettering, window signs..."
Moves forward with amortization plans to clean up retail signage near the Hwy 41/49 interchange in Oakhurst.
2008
March
Madera County
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
March/April
Mammoth
The owner of Cuppy's Cafe is squabbling with the town about a $495 fine for hanging a banner. Business has increased 40% with the banner, reports The Mammoth Times. Read article.
2008
October
Marina
Jeff Aran and Mark Gastineau, representing CSA, attended a Planning Commission sign workshop. CSA was invited to present industry perspective along with the city's municipal consultants. Several audience members, including a city council member in attendance, came up afterward in thanks and to lament the city's poorly written ordinance.
2008
August
Marina
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
Oakdale
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
Oroville
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
June
Palm Desert
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
Palm Springs
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
May
Petaluma
City Council may eliminate the department responsible for urban planning because there is not enough development to support it, reported by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Read article.
Update: The Planning Department eliminated. Planning services are currently outsourced; the City employs one Planner. Read article.
2008
March
Pittsburg
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
January
Rancho Cucamonga
According to news reports, an organization that advocates for the separation of church and state filed a lawsuit in November, claiming that Rancho Cucamonga and Redevelopment Director Linda Daniels violated the group's free speech rights. The complaint -- filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the U.S. District Court in Riverside -- claims the city interfered and contributed to the removal of a billboard displaying the message, "Imagine No Religion." According to the complaint, reports the Inland Empire Daily Bulletin, the city "gave the appearance of religious endorsement, including an expressed preference for religion over non-religion," and violated the First Amendment by intending to "interfere with and...contribute to cause Freedom From Religion Foundation's billboard to be removed from public display because of opposition to the message communicated by (the Foundation's) billboard." The "Imagine No Religion" sign is allegedly part of a national campaign to encourage dialogue on "non-theism." Read article.
2009
March/April
Redondo Beach
Concerns raised at a city council meeting that enforcement of a "no smoking on the beach" ordinance would require posted signs at the entrances to the city's beaches and parks. New signs would only contribute to existing "sign blight", according to Redondo Beach Police Chief Joseph Leonardi, reported by The Beach Reporter. Read article.
2008
August
Riverside
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
June
Sacramento
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
March/April
Sacramento
City staff prepares a revamped ordinance after several workshops.
The City also approved a $213,000 loan to reface the neon marquee at the iconic Crest theatre, which has been in business over 60 years.
2009
February
Sacramento
The City has held several workshops in 2008 in anticipation of rewriting its ordinance. Jeff Aran spoke at the workshops and provided information about digital technology and the economic vibrancy of signage. The City has given direction to staff to allow digital signage, subject to "reasonable time, place and manner restrictions."
2008
March
Sacramento (City & County)
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
May
Salinas
City Council voted unanimously to retain the city's sign ordinance. The code bans A-frame and sandwich-board signs, free-hanging banners and displays that take up more than 25 percent of a business window, reported The Californian. Businesses will have 90 days to comply or face fines. The city's attempt last October at proactive enforcement was short-lived. "They won't get any money out of us," said Gary Nana, a spokesman for Quality Liquors on Williams Road. "We'll advertise the 25 percent on our window that's allowed by the county. We're going to comply, and we do want to clean up the city of Salinas."
2009
January
San Bernardino County
Announced a series of free workshops to help struggling businesses. The county will also pick up the tab on personal business assessments, which normally cost $100. The assessments will be offered through the High Desert Small Business Development Center, where residents can also receive one-on-one counseling, training and other services to help develop and sustain business.
2009
November
San Diego
Reports to be requiring fabricators licenses.
2009
August
San Diego
Roy Flahive is working with the City assisting CSA Member Companies to clarify pole sign requirements.
2008
August
San Francisco
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2008
March
San Francisco
PG&E unveils what it claims to be the nation's first solar-powered billboard in SF as part of their We Can Do This advertising campaign.
2009
December
San Jose
Recently proposed a business-friendly revision to its sign ordinance. With greater flexibility that would create "a visually vibrant" downtown, San Jose is considering allowing digital signs, supergraphics and freeway pylons under certain parameters. CSA actively contributed to the proposal. For more information, download pdf.
2009
November
San Jose
Updating its sign ordinance. Past President Terry Long attended a city workshop on CSA's behalf and reported the following:
"In attendance were 8 outdoor advertising persons (Clear Channel, Silicon View, etc.) and only myself representing on-premise. This meeting postulates all of the items that LA just placed on a moratorium; so coming on the heels of LA it is a bit shocking to attend a city meeting where they are considering downtown billboards/wallscapes, downtown LED screens, raising the height of on-premise signs, and allowing billboards and LED screens on major commercial streets and highways.
The city council will take up these issues during their October 6 meeting and planning expects the council to direct planning to revise the city ordinance for adoption in early 2010. This from a city that has always had a tight ordinance and does not allow LED screens until recently, and then on a very limited basis.
The possible downside to the council acting in a positive manner on this is the downtown issues came up 2 years ago and the council did not move forward to approve LED's and billboards for the downtown area. Now they are interested as they think the signs may stimulate downtown activity. The city has had issues with a couple of major signs so the feeling I came away with is that they are stimulated to act in a positive sign manner from their existing 1992 ordinance which is outdated."
2009
June
San Jose
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
May
San Jose
Meeting of the San Jose sign ordinance rewrite focus group held May 27 to discuss "signage strategies".
2009
March/April
San Jose
The City begins hosting several focus group meetings as it gears up to rewrite the sign ordinance. CSA is actively involved.
2008
August
San Juan Capistrano
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
August
San Pablo
Skip Moore is involved with the City as its sign code is being rewritten.
2009
June
San Pablo
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
November
Santa Monica
Signs for two businesses were saved from removal pursuant to B&P Code Section 5499. (Note: Jeff Aran represented both companies in administrative hearings before the city.)
2008
March
Truckee
The City is trying to reduce "light pollution" with the help of Dark Skies.
2008
August
Ukiah
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
January
Victorville
Recently increased the height allowed for signs on larger parcels along major roadways to help with visibility. The city also started free "pre-submittal meetings," where aspiring business owners can get questions answered before they start their application for permitting to ensure everything goes smoothly.
2008
August
Villa Park
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
March/April
Vista
Cracks down on illegals signs.
2008
July
West Sacramento
Merchants face the loss of their signage due to expiration of the city's multi-year amortization period reducing sign heights to 12'. CSA Legal Counsel is retained by several businesses to retain the signs which are protected under B&P Code ¤ 5499. As of May 13, 2008, two of those signs have been retained and the city has agreed they are protected from conformance.
2008
March
West Sacramento
Pending sign ordinance revision/rewrite.
2009
August
Willits
The Chamber of Commerce requested CSA assistance pertaining to preserving business signs along Highway 101.
