Call To Action: Amend the Mooresville Sign Ordinance
In 2018 the Mooresville Town Council updated the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Part of that revision involved adding a requirement that people ask permission before placing a sign. In 2019 they began strictly enforcing this ordinance on political signage.
Once it was pointed out that Indiana law prohibits banning signs based on content, they began purging signs from all over town. Even taking down “Just Be Kind” signs next to people’s mailboxes and “Slow: Children at Play” signs for being between the sidewalk and the street. Business signs, church signs, little league signs – any sign placed anywhere near a street is considered illegal. Other signage has been allowed or ignored completely. Since this ordinance was first enacted in January 2019, the Town of Mooresville has only ever denied one request to place temporary signage. That was the request to place political signs during the 2020 election.
Our street Department is being forced to waste their time and taxpayer resources enforcing this frivolous law. An amendment to the sign ordinance to fix these issues exists but has not gained support within our town government. There is currently some interest to finally fix this bad law and we need your help to get it done.
YOU can help by contacting them and telling them you support this amendment which includes:
- Eliminating the “ask permission” requirement for temporary signs in the town of Mooresville, ensuring no discriminatory decisions in the future.
- Adding a provision to the UDO that says you can place signs on the strip of land next to the road on your own property.
- Setting a 90-day time limit on small, temporary signs in the rights-of-way.
- Still clarifying that NO signs are permitted in manicured landscape features on town property such as flower beds, medians, and the like.
Use the form below to send your message. You can use the pre-written message or edit it how you like. Please be polite and respectful.