IRVINE : City May Revise Rules on Commercial Signs

The city’s 20-year-old sign ordinance--aimed at avoiding clutter in the planned community’s commercial zones--might soon undergo significant modifications.

A committee made up of city officials, Chamber of Commerce members and local residents spent the past six months discussing ways of revising the ordinance, which merchants have long sought to liberalize.

The City Council is expected to consider a new ordinance at its May 10 meeting. At that time, residents will be able to express their opinions.

Surveys conducted by the city and Chamber of Commerce have found that the sign ordinance is a major concern to business people, said City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr.

Merchants have complained that the ordinance is too restrictive and does not allow them to use bright lights or other devices that would help their businesses stand out. As a result, shoppers can easily drive past a shopping center without being able to identify individual stores, they said.

Brady said the goal is to be “business-friendly.”

“After 20 years, it’s time to take a look at this and see if we can make it different for the 1990s,” he said. “We want to update it, but we want to keep the aesthetics intact and not have signs running rampant.”

Proposed changes in the sign ordinance include:

* Allowing merchants to string white Christmas lights around their businesses.

* Permitting the occasional use of searchlights on a temporary basis to advertise special events.

* Allowing the use of some neon lights and electronic animated lights, subject to review by the city.