Sussex officials make sign regs amendment

Sussex County officials have amended the updated sign ordinance to allow property owners to place on-premises signs within 50 feet of an existing billboard. Under the new ordinance, on-premises signs are prohibited within that range.

Sussex County Planning and Zoning Director Janelle Cornwell said some business owners have complained they can't put a sign on their property because of the proximity to a billboard.

Cornwell and assistant county attorney Jamie Sharp told council at its July 25 meeting that billboards could be on the business owner's property or an adjacent property and still be closer than 50 feet to a proposed location for an on-premises sign.

The county council and planning and zoning commission both supported the amendment unanimously.

Cornwell said the amendment will affect only a few business owners who have had an issue and only pertain to current billboards. New regulations setting separation distances for new billboards should address the placement of new on-premises signs on properties in other cases, Cornwell said.

Councilman George Cole, R-Ocean View, asked Cornwell to track the amendment and make council aware of any problems.

Sussex County officials went through a laborious process lasting more than a year to re-write sign regulations that were adopted in October 2016 by county council. Among the new regulations, the separation distance for billboards was doubled to 600 feet. In addition, larger and taller billboards are permitted on four-lane highways.