New ordinance requires signs to be fixed

[Pete]

Press release:

**************

New ordinance requires property owners to fix dilapidated outdoor signs
02/13/2024

To beautify business corridors and neighborhoods citywide, Oklahoma City Council adopted sign codes on Feb.13 that require property owners to better maintain their outdoor signage.

The new sign ordinance will take effect March 15. Signs that are dilapidated, damaged, deteriorated, defaced, abandoned, illegible or no longer advertise the business on the property will likely violate the new ordinance.

Property owners who receive a notice of violation for a dilapidated sign will be able to provide Code Enforcement with a plan of action that brings the sign into compliance. If the signs are not fixed, the City can hire a contractor to remove the sign at the property owner’s expense.

“Neglected signs are not only an eyesore, but they contribute to the deterioration of our city,” Code Enforcement Superintendent Chad Davidson said. “We prefer compliance over citations, so we will give property owners time to bring their signs into compliance.”

To report a dilapidated sign, call the Action Center at (405) 297-2535 or submit a request online at okc.gov. Customer service representatives will need the address of the dilapidated sign.

[Martin]

this is great. it'd be nice if signs that aren't remediated after an extended period would have to be re-approved to current standards.

[TheTravellers]

Guessing that the city won't discover/report them on their own, they'll rely on us residents.....

[Bill Robertson]

Guessing that the city won't discover/report them on their own, they'll rely on us residents.....

That's ok. I could put together a decent list in no time and I'm pretty practiced in entering items on the city's website.

[Pete]

It has to be said that the City is really good about following up on anything reported via the Action Center.

Sometimes it's not the answer you want but I've had really good success with getting things resolved, and usually within a week or two.

[TheTravellers]

That's ok. I could put together a decent list in no time and I'm pretty practiced in entering items on the city's website.

Yeah, I could drive around for 30 minutes and have probably 100 pins dropped in google maps, and spend hours reporting each of them in the app/website, but it's annoying that the city doesn't do any of this themselves when there are easy ways for them to do it. How many people in OKC are going to know about the new ordinance *and* report the signs? Yes, their Action Center is responsive, but it'd be nice for them to take the initiative on some of these things (as I mentioned in the Edmond traffic thread).

[DowntownMan]

Does this mean I can report that huge tacky Rick Warren sign on i35 and 122?

[Brett]

It seems to me that many years ago this very issue was called "visual pollution". A great buzzword but I guess it never got off the ground until today.

[Ward]

Buttttttt What about the worn out faded Stop Signs and street name signs? Faded old Yield Signs?

[Jeepnokc]

I read an article this morning that it appears the new sign code updates also does away with having to pull a permit for most murals. This is great as I think the current permit requirements discourage a lot of property owners from doing one. We have a great expansive wall that would be great for a mural but when we looked into it....it was to big of a PIA.