STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Growing
AGENDA DATE: September 24, 2025
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): Citywide
DEPARTMENT: Department of Planning and Development
EXECUTIVE: Robin Bentley
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SUBJECT
Title
An ordinance correcting Section 51A-7.205, “Athletic Field Signs, Special Purpose Signs, Movement Control Signs, and Protective Signs,” of Chapter 51A, “Dallas Development Code: Ordinance No. 19455, as amended,” of the Dallas City Code; (1) providing a saving clause; (2) providing a severability clause; and (3) providing an effective date - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
Body
BACKGROUND
On June 28, 2008, the City Council approved Ordinance 27253, an ordinance granting amendments to Chapter 51A of the Dallas Development Code to amend regulations pertaining to premise signs and special purpose signs.
Special purpose signs are defined as, “a sign temporarily supplementing the permanent signs on a premise.” The Deputy Mayor Pro Tem made a motion for six changes, with the first change to, “Prohibit all special purpose signs”, and the motion was adopted unanimously.
The adopted ordinance, rather than revising the existing provision in subsection (c) of Section 51A-7.205, wholly omitted the provision regarding special purpose signs. The omission of explicit language to prohibit special purpose signs has created ambiguity for applicants. Applicants argue that without specific language, special purpose signs are allowed, which was not the intent of Council on June 28, 2008 with the passage of Ordinance No. 27253.
The correction proposed will explicitly prohibit special purpose signs as Council intended in 2008, see attached Exhibit A.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
This item has no prior action.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.