Council to Give Direction on Freeway Sign Policy

After hearing from about and receiving at least a dozen emails from residents, the Elk Grove City Council this week will decide whether it wants to move toward allowing more businesses to build signs along Elk Grove's freeways.

The city council will discuss the next steps at its meeting Wednesday evening.

Developer Gil Moore asked the council to revise the city's policy, which only allows businesses adjacent to the freeway to build freeway signs–and then, they can only be 20 feet tall. .

, city staff will ask the city council what to do next.

A staff report for this week's meeting says if the council wants to revise the current law, it should opt for an "overlay zone," which would allow businesses a certain distance from any freeway interchange to build signs along the freeway after having their designs reviewed by the city.

Twelve emails to city staff and council members are included in this week's staff report; among them, two businessmen supported changing the sign ordinance, nine residents opposed any changes and one email focused on the crowd at the public meeting.

"I have never written a letter to a city council member in my life. Frankly until now my votes for city council (here in Elk Grove or elsewhere) have been an after-thought," Karen Hausmann wrote to the city council. "The issue of potential tall signs off our Elk Grove freeways has made me instantly interested in the city council. I feel very strongly that Elk Grove should NOT change the ordinance prohibiting signs next to our highways."

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Elk Grove City Council meeting
6 p.m. Wednesday
8400 Laguna Palms Way

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What should the city council do? Should businesses be allowed to build signs along the freeway if their property isn't adjacent to the freeway? Tell us in the comments section below.