Sign Code Update

The City of Golden Valley is updating its sign code, which governs the type, size, and location of signs throughout the city. This project aims to modernize regulations, eliminate inconsistencies, bring the code up to current legal standards, and make the code clearer and easier to use. It also aims to address and alleviate the disparate impacts that the current sign code imposes on businesses based on their location or business type.

Project Scope

The City will hold two rounds of meetings with interested public, commercial users, including businesses, sign companies, and commercial property owners to learn and incorporate their concerns and feedback. 

The first round of meetings will focus on understanding the challenges and opportunities with the sign code. After proposing changes to the sign code, staff will conduct a second round of meetings to obtain feedback from the public and stakeholders regarding the proposed changes.

The process includes an outreach strategy, diagnosis of the current sign code, and final code. 

• Equity Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis to understand existing concerns related to the sign code from key business and commercial property owners, and sign companies.
• Stakeholder Listening Sessions: Meet with stakeholders and incorporate their feedback to ensure the updated sign code reflects their needs and concerns.
• Legal Compliance: Ensure the updated sign code aligns with the most current legal framework for regulating signs using applicable state and federal case law and statutes. Conduct a detailed review of the codes of neighboring, comparable communities and compare key regulations with Golden Valley’s sign code. 
• Planning Commission Meeting: Meet with Planning Commission to share initial findings of the code, hear known issues, and identify suitable solutions.
• Audit Document: The code audit will summarize themes from the listening sessions and equity analysis. It will also review the code for size requirements; regulations pertaining to cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol-related signage; dimensional and material requirements; aesthetic; ease of administration; and compatibility with best practices. 
• Final Code: Final draft of the sign code shall be prepared based on equity analysis and feedback. The final code will be easier to navigate, with graphics to illustrate complex concepts. The final code will be delivered to the City of Golden Valley.