Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CLOVIS — The Clovis city commission discussed a sign code ordinance at its meeting on Thursday, voting to approve the introduction of the ordinance.
Some changes the commission discussed include increasing the distance between billboards to 1,000 feet instead of 500 feet, reducing the time before an abandoned sign must be removed from six months to three months, and to allow one temporary sign that can be within 10 feet of the front door in the business district and cannot stay out overnight.
Mayor Mike Morris said the purpose of repealing the existing ordinance and creating a new sign code is to “protect property values, preserve the aesthetic value of the city and bring the sign code into compliance with the Constitution and the First Amendment.”
City Commissioner Megan Palla said she wants to start a discussion about requiring monument signs in the future to beautify the appearance of the city.
Gary Hamilton, who has various car dealerships along U.S. 60/84, said he has a concern that one size doesn’t fit all when it pertains to signs.
Morris said the city ordinance is not a one-size-fits-all ordinance.
“We recognize the need for different heights in different parts of town,” Morris said.
The ordinance has different designations for signs depending on the respective road. For instance, signs can only be 20 feet high and 120 square feet in size on residential roads, 30 feet high and 120 square feet in collector and arterial roads and 40 feet high and 200 cubic feet along highways.
Gail Tarson said she was concerned that her flagpole sign might not comply with the new ordinance. Without that sign it would be easy to miss her Commerce Street jewelry business.
The ordinance will be taken up for final consideration in one of the commission’s January meetings.
In other business, the city presented a plaque in recognition of IT Director Paul Nelson’s more than 20 years of service to the city upon his retirement. He was the first IT employee in the city.
The next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Dec. 16 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.
