Signs

Billboard Flag

Supreme Court Case Could Transform Sign Regulations

If the Supreme Court upholds a lower court decision, cities could lose a long-standing right to regulate 'off-premises' billboards.

November 9, 2021 - American Planning Association

Vote

San Jose City Council Supports New Billboards

San Jose, California is suddenly taking a much more permissive approach to large billboards.

October 4, 2018 - The Mercury News

Trump Sign

Another Chicago Skyscraper Sign Controversy

Regulations crafted in the wake of the Trump sign controversy of 2014 could be relaxed to let Salesforce leave its mark on the city of Chicago's skyline.

September 25, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Pokestop and Froyo

Chicago Should Legalize A-Frame Signs, Alderman Says

A-frame sandwich board signs are illegal in Chicago, but they're widely used anyway.

July 4, 2018 - Block Club Chicago

Public Notice

Toward a More Sightly Future for Public Notice Signs

Public notice signs rarely garner much attention. Atlanta's planning department is changing that by partnering with a private design firm. The result? More striking signage.

August 20, 2017 - Fast Co. Design

Bee is For Billboard

Artists Find Alternate Uses for Billboards in Los Angeles

With a surplus of unsold billboard spaces dotting Los Angeles, artists are using the empty spaces as canvasses for new forms of public art.

March 10, 2017 - The Art Newspaper

Miami Beach

Miami Beach's Floating Billboards: A Nuisance on Water

The picturesque ocean front of Miami Beach is being sullied by digital billboards now floating off shore on boats, outside the reach of the city's authority.

March 3, 2017 - Miami New Times

Cafe sign

Another Sign Code Goes Down in Flames

The sign code for North Redington Beach, Florida has been found in violation of the First Amendment, following a dispute with a local café.

February 8, 2017 - Rocky Mountain Sign Law

Rolling Digital Billboards Hit New Orleans' Streets

A southern Louisiana company is bringing a mobile, four-sided digital billboard to the streets of New Orleans

February 7, 2017 - The Advocate (Louisiana)

Digital Billboard, Edmonton, Canada

New Jersey Town's Digital Billboard Ban Found Unconstitutional

Overruling an earlier appeals court decision, the New Jersey Supreme Court has found one township's prohibition on digital billboards to be unconstitutional.

October 12, 2016 - Rocky Mountain Sign Law

Hollywood Freeway

FHWA Ruffles Feathers With Font Change for Highway Signs

After adopting the Clearview font in 2004, ending the Highway Gothic in use since the 1960s, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration reversed course in January and will again require the older font. This small change matter a great deal.

February 2, 2016 - CityLab

Danger

Cities Lose Supreme Court Case on Sign Regulation

The Supreme Court, in two separate opinions, unanimously ruled on June 18 against an Arizona town's sign regulation that denied the placement of a street sign based on its content. At question was a sign directing passers-by to a church service.

June 26, 2015 - The Washington Post

Sign Code Update: Finding the Sweet Spot

A case study in integrating form-based and street graphic approaches into the sign code, provided by the city of Lacey, Washington.

June 5, 2015 - MRSC Insight

Nathan's in Brooklyn

Friday Funny: 12 Signs that Bring Humor to the Brooklyn Streetscape

There are other ways to grab attention, even if you don't have the cash to spend on a giant sign that says T-R-U-M-P above the Chicago River.

June 27, 2014 - BuzzFeed

The Once and Future Urbanism of Sandwich Boards

Chuck Wolfe traces the comeback of sandwich board signage in cities, explains how associated regulations work, and offers reasons why such signage should be carefully fostered.

February 24, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Warning: I'm a Terrible Neighbor

A Colorado man has put up a sign warning potential buyers about activities that occur at his house.

October 13, 2011 - The Denver Post via 9 News

Big Signs May Top Downtown Seattle Buildings

Seattle is considering a new policy that will allow companies to place large signs atop buildings downtown. It's part of an effort to lure companies downtown, but many locals are outraged.

December 22, 2010 - NPR

The Art of Wayfinding

Slate looks at the history and importance of signage and wayfinding design.

March 8, 2010 - Slate.com

Is Bright Right or Blight?

A proposal to create a new outdoor advertising district in San Francisco has some locals anticipating a retail revival, while others dread the possible billboard blight.

October 16, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Smoke Signals

Could smoke rising from a barbeque pit be considered a sign, and thus be controlled under sign regulations? Zoning officials in East Berlin, PA say yes.

September 29, 2009 - The Evening Sun (Hanover

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