Changes coming to Sudbury's sign bylaw

The City of Greater Sudbury is making changes to its sign bylaw.

The current bylaw was created in 2007, the bylaw is now out of date and needs to be updated to include regulations that didn't need to be in place 12 years ago. 

The city has been working with Martin Rendl Associates to update and create the new sign bylaw. It was presented to city council on Tuesday.

One important change in the bylaw is including electronic billboard signs, the bylaw will now include these signs and regulate their illumination and animation standards.

"The bylaw currently has no provisions about digital electronic signs and of course it has no standards for them, they are treated like a conventional sign or a billboard," said Guido Mazza, director of building services.

He says speaking with people in Sudbury, the key issue with these is the brightness of the signs at night.

Ward 12 councillor Joscelyne Landry-Altmann says she's concerned about an electronic sign in her ward.

"This particular sign flashes into the living rooms of residents across the street," she said. 

"[The proposed bylaw has] illumination regulations for electronic signs and the first is to not project into any adjacent premises. Well this one is projecting directly into residents living rooms," said Landry-Altmann.

"City staff are also recommending that the new sign bylaw not be retroactive to existing signage except for the illumination and animation standards for electronic signage," says the sign bylaw report.

Councillor Mike Jakubo also wanted to see rules and regulations on municipal election signs — that municipal election signs for councillors would only be allowed to be displayed in the ward they're running in.

"I really think we have an opportunity to do here is every four years to use our elections as an education piece for our residents to really let them know what ward or area they live in," he said.

However, not all on council agreed with Jakubo's amendment.

Other changes to the bylaw include updated standards for size and location for all permanent and temporary signs.

City still will create the draft bylaw and return to council for approval.