Cape planning commission to consider sign regulations today

The planning and zoning commission today will review proposed Cape Girardeau city sign regulations, including a provision that would bar businesses from using temporary signs as permanent signs.

No decision is expected at the 7 p.m. meeting at city hall. The planning commission would have to hold a public hearing before making any final recommendation to the city council. The council then would have to hold a public hearing before it could approve new sign rules, said city code inspector Beckie Figliolo.

Depending on commission comments, the city staff may revise the proposed rules before bringing them back to the advisory board, she said.

Existing signs would be allowed to remain under a grandfather clause, but new signs -- everything from permanent business signs to political yard signs -- would come under the restrictions outlined in a 23-page document, officials said.

Government-authorized directional signs would be exempt from the regulations, as would religious symbols and seasonal holiday decorations.

A seven-member committee of city inspection officials, representatives of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the planning and zoning commission drafted the proposed ordinance. But some of the committee members already have suggested revising the proposed rules.

John Mehner, chamber president, said Tuesday that neither he nor other chamber officials had seen the proposed rules.

Mehner said the chamber will seek to inform its members of the proposed sign regulations so local business owners and operators will have an opportunity to provide input to city officials before any final action by the council.

He said the chamber might put the proposed ordinance on its Web site to make it more convenient for business owners and operators to review the rules.