The City of Pine Lake is proposing to update the city's sign ordinance, prompted by improvements being made to Rockbridge Rd. between Allgood Rd. and Rowland Rd.
The city has scheduled a public hearing later this month on a revamp of the "Signs" section of its city code. The Zoom meeting will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m.
The update, which appears to be based on a Model Sign Ordinance prepared by the Georgia Municipal Association, establishes new requirements for obtaining sign permits.
The proposal is intended "to address modern types and lighting of signs to ensure such signs do not obstruct vision, distract drivers or otherwise impair the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians."
It would prohibit signs in the public right-of-way, window signs that exceed 30 percent of a building's face window area, moving signs, signs that look like a traffic or warning sign and signs that make noise.
"Signs which contain words, pictures, or statements which are prohibited by state or federal law or which are obscene as defined by" Georgia law would be illegal under the new ordinance.
The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that the state may not criminalize "the public display of a four-letter expletive" without a compelling reason.
The update would also prohibit affixing a sign to any tree, post, utility pole or other structure.
