TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Jonathan R. Lewis, ICMA-CM, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion, and possible action to suspend Sign Regulations in Sections 29-6 (K) and 29-7 (O) of the Unified Land Development Code, for signs at the City Hall Complex and the Butler Park/Morgan Family Center Complex on Election Days.
Recommended Action
Approve written plan pursuant Sections 29-6 (K) and 29-7 (O) of the Unified Land Development Code.
Background Information
Chapter 29, Sections 6 (K) and 7(O) of the Unified Land Development Code prohibits signs on public property except those signs authorized in writing by action of the City Commission.
At their regularly scheduled meeting of November 22, 2016, City Commission directed staff to bring to Commission language to allow signs on public property for a specified time period during certain election dates as approved by the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections. This is similar to the action taken by Commission at the October 11, 2016 Commission meeting, which Commission voted to approve a written plan which suspended sign-related rules at polling places at the City Hall Complex and the Butler Park/Morgan Family Center Complex for the November 8, 2016 election.
Chapter 29 Sign Regulations of the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) Sec. 29-8 L. lists political signs as exempt however, they are regulated pursuant to Florida Statutes106.1435. In addition, Florida Statutes 106.1435 (3) states, "no political campaign advertisements shall be erected, posted, painted, tacked, nailed, or otherwise displayed, placed, or located on or above any state or county road right-of-way." The Florida Statute 106.1435(5), goes on to state that "this provision does not preclude municipalities from imposing additional or more stringent requirements on the usage and removal of political campaign advertisements".
The University of Florida is currently working on rewriting the North Port Unified Land Dev...
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