Signs for the times: What's in Chattanooga's new sign ordinance?

A new sign ordinance updates a decades-old section of city code and gives business more advertising options. Photo courtesy Kelly Lacy.

By William Newlin

City code regulating business signs has stayed largely the same since the 1980s. According to an April 1 press release, Mayor Kelly’s office has been working on an update since 2021. Like the tree ordinance, City Council approved overhauling Chattanooga’s sign ordinance on April 8.

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“It’s just on the list of things that are woefully out-of-date and don’t reflect Chattanooga in this century,” said Chris Anderson, advisor to Mayor Tim Kelly. “These ordinances should be reflective of modern day, and what is best for the people who live here now.”

Here are some notable changes to the sign code:

Removes references to the Board of Sign Appeals, which the city eliminated last year. The Board of Zoning Appeals now hears from applicants denied a sign permit or cited for sign violations
Allows property owners to apply for a “master sign plan” governing advertisements in a large commercial development. Such plans can provide more and larger signs than the code typically allows
Allows signs on walls with a public entrance, not just on street-facing facades
Allows sandwich board signs, which were previously prohibited
Adds visual graphics and tables to clarify rules around different sign types