St. Cloud City Council Pauses Sign Ordinance Changes

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The city of St. Cloud has paused creating new rules for displaying a non-commercial sign on your residential property.

The City Council held a public hearing during its meeting on Monday night to amend the Land Development Code.

Get our free mobile app

Several council members expressed concerns about the limitations on signs, the perception of the ordinance by city residents, and how it would be enforced.

Only one person from the community spoke during the public hearing, who was opposed to the amendment.

The council voted to deny the city administration's recommendation for now, with a request to work on it more during a study session.

The new ordinance would have allowed for one opinion sign measuring five square feet on a private residential property.

Election signs are exempt per state law during an election period, which is 46 days prior to a Primary Election through 10 days after the General Election.

Deputy City Attorney Kevin Voss says currently, the City Code doesn't have any language about opinion signs, so technically, no signs are allowed.

Voss says the change is trying to address four main goals:

1).  Bring the ordinance into conformity with state statutes with election laws.
2).  Removes content-based restrictions by changing the term from "political" to "non-commercial".
3) Strike a balance between freedom of speech and neighborhood concerns.
4) It adds a substitution clause where a non-commercial sign can be substituted for a commercial sign without approval from the city.

Get our free mobile app

Flags were not included in the sign ordinance.  Signs in windows inside the home were also not included.

Previously, the St. Cloud Planning Commission held a public hearing and unanimously approved the Land Development Code Amendment.

Read More: St. Cloud Planning Commission Considers New Yard Sign Rules |

READ RELATED ARTICLES

• Community Dancers Hit The Stage For A Cause This June
• World Food Tour: Urban Gyro & Grill in St. Cloud
• Sauk Rapids, SR-R Considering Partnership On New ECC Building
• St. Cloud Hospice Launches Veterans Care Campaign 
• Construction Starting On New Eatery On St. Cloud's East End