HELENA — The Helena City Commission approved updates to the city's sign regulation ordinance in a three-to-two vote during a meeting on Monday night.
After nearly 19 months of work, community input, and countless revisions, the approved code is something city staff and sign manufacturers say comes with a compromise.
"It's definitely a give and take by all parties. We don't love everything in here, but we're happy with what's in here," said YESCO Outdoor Media regional representative Bob Alvarez.
He is one of roughly 15 people who made public comments during the meeting.
YESCO Outdoor Media is a sign company that has a location in Helena.
Their billboards are placed along HWY 12 and I-15 and have on-premises signs with businesses around town.
He says YESCO had concerns about the billboard business permits, which would use a cap and replace the program, charging businesses for each permitted billboard location.
Alvarez said, "Here in the Rocky Mountain North, it just doesn't exist, and the concern is that a city like Helena if they were to adopt a code like this, the trickle-down effect could have been detrimental to our industry."
However, an amendment was made to the code by the commission to keep the cap and replace permitting structure without the annual fees.
"We're happy with the resolution that came out of it. I don't think any party is going to be victorious. I think this was a compromise between both groups and a successful one at that," said Alvarez.
A significant focus of the updated ordinance is to protect the Big Sky and reduce light pollution by regulating the type of lighting used in signage.
On-premise electronic messaging centers are no longer able to be erected or maintained closer than 100 feet from residential districts, unless that sign is constructed in a way where the sign cannot be seen from the district.
The new rules also prohibit electronic signs from changing ads faster than every two seconds.
You can find previous reporting on the sign ordinance here.
