Farmington Hills Sign Ordinance

Giffels Webster assisted the City of Farmington Hills with a comprehensive update to its sign regulations, which are found within the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Changes in sign categories, sign lighting techniques, planning practice, and case law, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s Reed vs. Town of Gilbert ruling, are all factors that can warrant a review and update to sign law.

The new adopted sign code follows a content-neutral approach to both temporary and permanent signs. The focus is on time, place, and manner regulations, including duration of display, size of display, and materials and placement. The sign code includes many new and update graphics that help to portray the sign ordinance standards in a manner that is clear. These graphics also assist the reader in determining how to measure sign area.

Giffels Webster worked closely with City staff, City attorney, Planning Commission, and City Council to develop the framework for the changes as well as the final ordinance language. Study sessions were a useful means to explore solutions in a less formal setting.

Farmington Hills sign regulations are part to the City of Farmington Hills Zoning Ordinance, which uses Giffels Webster’s Clearzoning^® formatting. This makes it easy to search for terms and link from other key sections of the code.