Sign ordinance stalls in Dunwoody

Dunwoody remains deadlocked on a decision to adopt a new sign ordinance.

After 18 months of public forums, committee meetings and staff research, the City Council voted 3-3 Monday night on what was supposed to be a final draft of the law. The tie vote means the matter will be sent back to the city's planning department, which will develop a revised draft with the seven-member community council and seven-member planning commission.

The draft ran into trouble from the get-go. Councilman John Heneghan, noting late changes in the document, asked why the matter needed to be approved immediately. He said the draft, complete with more than three dozen recent alterations made late last week, should be presented for public review before being adopted.

"I believe it's a completely different version that has been seen via the community council and planning commission," Heneghan said. "I think we owe it to the citizens and the businesses to get a full reading of the community before we go forward to finalize this."

But Councilman Robert Wittenstein observed the ordinance had gone through the most thorough vetting process imaginable, and there was no need to delay. Besides, he added, the ordinance could be amended as needed in the future.

Opponents who spoke during the public hearing outnumbered proponents by more than 2-1. Most did not speak directly against a specific provision, only the late changes that the public had not had time to review.

Those changes included revised dimensions for signs attached to building fronts and ground signs in front of businesses.

However, resident Joe Hirsch pointed out one specific provision in the code that prohibited advertising signs on vehicles unless the company is properly licensed. Hirsch said this would violate the First Amendment, and he asked the council to read up on the Constitution.