Regulations for all types of outdoor signs—sandwich boards, electronic displays, banners, and billboards—will soon be re-organized and updated by the city. In an attempt to simplify and provide greater clarity to existing but complex and arcane sign rules, DC has proposed several changes that will be open to public comment through October 16.
For example, the regulations would clarify provisions related to approving special signs and billboards; amending current rules to respond to issues raised by the Federal Highway Administration; creating new Designated Entertainment Areas which would be open to new signs; clarifying existing regulations as they relate to signs on public space, private property, and specific areas of DC; establishing a means for enforcement; and establishing a permit application fee schedule and a schedule of fines and infractions.
Among the proposals:
- A permit and $50 fee will be required for any freestanding sidewalk sign, including a sandwich board, which also would have to be secured from being blown over by being attached to a building or held down by a weight. The sign cannot be taller than four feet or wider than 30 inches.
- A sign that is less than six square feet that is used for the sale, rent or lease of land or premises can be placed on private property without a permit.
- Any building classified as vacant or blighted by the Office of Tax and Revenue will be banned from hosting large advertising signs.
- Four “designed entertainment areas”—Gallery Place (7th and H streets), the Verizon Center (601 F Street), the Southwest waterfront and the ballpark area—will be allowed to have a wider range of signs, including outdoor graphics and visuals, banners, digital screens, digital video monitors, theater marquees, and fixed and animated signs for commercial advertisements. A permit would be required, though, and there are specific rules about size, location and thickness.
On the latter point, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics and holds the lease on the Verizon Center, received city approval last month to add new digital billboards to the outside of the arena. It is allowed to have a total of nine permits for signs on the 7th Street façade and a wraparound sign on the corner of 7th and F streets—all of which will generate millions of dollars in new tax revenue for the city. The company originally planned to add five new digital and four new static displays—with lights—on the F, 6th and 7th Street sides of the arena and near the Gallery Place Metrorail. Three static displays are currently located at 7th and G streets and 6th and F streets.
Once the city’s proposed rules are adopted, the bulk of the existing provisions will be removed from the Building Code and scattered sections of the DC Municipal Regulations (DCMR) and consolidated in one section, Title 13, of the DCMR. This will allow for organizing the rules so that specific types of outdoor signs—on public or private property—are grouped in the same chapter. In addition, the language will clearly indicate, for each sign type, which agencies will be involved in the submission, review, approval and permit issuance process as well as enforcing the regulations.
The draft regulations are available on the DCMR website and could be adopted within two months after the public comment period and a mandatory review by the DC Council. Public comments may be submitted by e-mail to policy.ddot@dc.gov.