Thomasville Council approves sign ordinance
Apr. 14—THOMASVILLE — During its regular session on Monday, the Thomasville City Council approved on second reading an ordinance to amend the Code of the City of Thomasville regarding sign regulations. The ordinance includes modifications requested by the City Council to the draft approved by the City of Thomasville Planning and Zoning Commission and originally recommended for consideration to the council in October of 2020.
According to City Planner Kenny Thompson, the ordinance originally proposed by the commission was modified after discussions during the City Council workshop on Oct. 21, 2020.
"During the October workshop, the City Council requested modifications to the sign ordinance that was recommended for adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission," Thompson said in a news release. "These modifications were based on additional input brought to Council members by citizens. The council also requested clarifications to multiple aspects of the ordinance."
Since October, city staff has worked with council members to address the issues they identified through additional citizen input within the ordinance.
"This final version of the ordinance includes clarification that was requested by the council on items such as electronic changeable copy for signage, feather flag standards, standard information signs, and yard signs," Thompson said. "In addition, through the input of the council, we modified items such as message duration for electronic changeable copy, wall sign standards, and the appeals process."
Thompson said that a "Highway/Bypass" area also was incorporated to allow for consistent sign standards on U.S. Highways 19, 319, and the 319 Bypass.
The process to revise the ordinance began several years ago and included input from numerous community stakeholders.
"In 2016, the Planning & Zoning Commission proposed revisions to a draft ordinance to the public and received a lot of great feedback," City Manager Alan Carson said. "Our most recent discussions concerning a revised sign ordinance began with this draft as a starting point.
"The approval of the sign ordinance by the City Council finalizes a community effort that spanned nearly seven years and will positively serve our Thomasville community. I am very proud and appreciative of the work done by the commission, our citizens, city staff, and the council to finalize this important ordinance."
To review the approved sign ordinance, visit www.thomasville.org. For additional information or questions, contact Thompson at (229) 227-4118 or Zoning Administrator Mollie Powell at (229) 227-3306.
