By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Lyon Township officials have performed the first reading of an ordinance amendment that will give area-businesses and others more opportunity at greater visibility.

At their February meeting, the Lyon Township Board of Trustees considered proposed sign size amendments. A letter to the Board from Township Planner Brian Keesey states that staff has been working with the planning commission to review sign ordinance standards relating to the maximum dimensions of signs. An analysis of sign requirements for nearby communities, including Wixom, Novi, and Brighton Township due to its similar corridor needs along Grand River was performed.

Keesey told the Board that they found some opportunities for change and are proposing several modifications. One is allowing wall signs to now be a maximum of 65-square-feet, up from 48. Keesey said this brings them in line with Novi and closer to Wixom, which has generally larger buildings. He added that he believes this will give their businesses a bit more flexibility, especially with the more substantially sized buildings that the township has been approving lately. With setbacks being what they are and businesses still subject to lighting requirements, Keesey said this shouldn’t have a negative effect on the community.

Keesey also said they are proposing changes to political sign requirements in yards. The amended ordinance would allow an unlimited number of those temporary signs so long as the total area doesn’t exceed 32-square-feet. The current ordinance allows for a 24-square-foot limit with individual signs capped at 6-feet each. Trustee Lise Blades is the Board’s liaison to the Zoning Board of Appeals and said these changes would help a lot of what they are running into with businesses. She noted a larger size of buildings from when the current ordinance was approved, and how this will decrease the number of applicants coming in and asking for a variance. The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the first reading, which can be found on the township’s website.