The Law and Community Planning Committee met Tuesday evening to propose a revision to the city's sign code.
Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Services President and CEO John Detwiler said the committee in charge of revising the code had worked on it for about six months.
One of the code's biggest changes is changing the maximum size of a sign from 65 square feet to 90 square feet.
Committee member Dale Depew said the group based the new size off of the size of appropriate signs already in the city, which have received a variance from the zoning board.
Committee member Dennis Eberly said the old size requirement in the sign code forced new businesses to have to go to the zoning board to get a variance for their signs.
"That's not really conducive to encouraging and attracting businesses to you rtown," he said.
Chair of the Law and Community Planning Committee Lori Ritzler said she does not want businesses to come in and do what they want without guidelines either.
"I really have a problem with Sandusky," she said. "The signs are atrocious; it is horrible. I would never want (Tiffin) to look like that."
Another notable change in the code states all signs in the Downtown Design Review District are required to have a certificate of appropriateness from the Architectural Board of Review.
"We gave the (Architectural Board of Review) some teeth, as it relates to downtown and historical district." Detwiler said.
Depew said he would like to see the downtown area look more historical in the future.
The code also states that any illuminated sign or lighting device is not allowed to move more than seven times per minute. And lights on the signs cannot be so bright that it causes a glare to pedestrians or drivers. Holiday lighting and decorations are excluded.
The code also is to change the definition of a sign to include murals as well.
The Law and Community Planning Committee approved putting the changes to a vote of city council at an upcoming meeting.
