Ridgeland aldermen pass new curbside sign amendment

Ridgeland aldermen pass new curbside sign amendment

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RIDGELAND — Aldermen on Tuesday passed a sign ordinance amendment setting rules and guidelines for curbside services.

Community Development Director Alan Hart presented the proposed ordinance amendment to add provisions for curbside and short-term parking, signs at restaurants and retail businesses at a public hearing held during the regularly scheduled city board meeting on Tuesday.

City officials noted that this has been something they have been discussing for awhile and appears to be a necessity as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many businesses operate. 

“I am glad we could come up with a solution. I know this is something we have had some difficulty with in the past,” said Mayor Gene F. McGee.

Ward 3 Alderman Kevin Holder said that he thought the ordinance was “a good idea.”

The amendment details dimensions and qualities that the sign must have such as materials and curbside placement. There will be a $10 filing fee per sign.

“We have a filling fee to ensure that every application is inspected and make sure it conforms to the height, dimensions and other specifications,” Hart said.

Businesses can have up to 10 percent of their parking dedicated to curbside services. Ward 6 Alderman Wes Hamlin asked how that would be calculated in a strip mall or situation where multiple businesses occupy a single building.

Hart said that they had criteria in place to figure that out and is part of the filing fee and review process, noting that it would usually be decided by parking spaces in front of the business’s space.

The item was approved unanimously in a 7-0 vote. Ward 4 Alderman Brian Ramsey participated by teleconference. The new amendment will go into effect 30 days after its approval.

On July 2, the city released guidelines for temporary signage for the period between July 1 and July 15. The release said that these regulations would continue to be relaxed for the period due to COVID-19 in order to “help businesses with exposure and marketing.”

The relaxed regulations included allowances for temporary banners and signs. For instance, they would not require a permit but must conform to the city’s sign ordinance and shall be no larger than 32 square feet and no taller than six feet. A limit is set to one temporary sign per street frontage and signs cannot be placed on the right of way. These were among the regulations relaxed back in March.






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