Court Case Prompts City To Reword Sign Laws

MIDDLETOWN — A court case regarding the city’s abandoned sign ordinance is prompting changes to the edict.

The Middletown Planning Commission is set today to discuss amending the zoning ordinance pertaining to “nonfunctional” signs.

In a court case filed in November 2009 by the city against local businessman Lenny Robinson, Judge James Ruppert ruled the ordinance’s definition was too vague in terms of when a sign becomes dysfunctional, according to court documents.

While Middletown officials have appealed that decision to the Ohio 12th District Court of Appeals, Law Director Les Landen said the city is going ahead with the necessary wording change.

“We don’t accept what was there before was necessarily vague but we recognize the language could be better,” he said.

Marty Kohler, planning director, is recommending the commission change the wording from “dysfunctional” to “obsolete or abandoned signs” while also further defining what constitutes a sign and how it is determined to be abandoned.

A public hearing was held regarding the proposed changes. Any recommendation planning commission makes will then be sent to City Council for approval, Kohler said.