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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for Sign Control

Read the Signs: New Ruling Clarifies On-/Off-Premises Sign Regulation

Read the Signs: New Ruling Clarifies On-/Off-Premises Sign Regulation

The 2015 ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert made on-/off premise sign regulation more challenging for local governments. A new ruling in City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising clarifies content-based regulations, giving local governments some breathing room. 

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Regulating Signs During Election Season

Regulating Signs During Election Season

This blog will touch on some frequently asked questions regarding the regulation of political signage. 

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Regulating Non-Commercial Temporary Signs During Election Season

Regulating Non-Commercial Temporary Signs During Election Season

This blog post provides a brief refresher on how a jurisdiction may regulate temporary, campaign-related signs in a post-Reed v. Gilbert environment.

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Ninth Circuit Holds Reed v. Town of Gilbert Does Not Extend to Commercial Speech

Ninth Circuit Holds Reed v. Town of Gilbert Does Not Extend to Commercial Speech

On August 16, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion in Contest Promotions v. City and County of San Francisco, providing its first official guidance on the question of whether Reed v. Town of Gilbert controls the regulation of commercial speech as well as noncommercial speech. In this blog post, MRSC Legal Consultant Robert Sepler gives an overview of this case.

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The Importance of Bringing Your Sign Code Up-to-Date

The Importance of Bringing Your Sign Code Up-to-Date

Practical tips for how to update your sign code in order to address the implications of the recent Reed v. Town of Gilbert case.

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Courts in the Ninth Circuit Decline to Extend Reed v. Town of Gilbert to Commercial Speech

Courts in the Ninth Circuit Decline to Extend Reed v. Town of Gilbert to Commercial Speech

After the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert four months ago striking down that Arizona town’s sign code as being unconstitutionally content-based, some commentators, including one from The New York Times, were quick to raise the alarm that the decision would have consequences far beyond local sign codes. Although the decision has undoubtedly created uncertainty, it has not yet led to any such consequences so far in the Ninth Circuit, the federal circuit that includes Washington State.

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US Supreme Court Issues Significant Sign Code Decision

US Supreme Court Issues Significant Sign Code Decision

On June 18, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an Arizona town’s sign code placed unconstitutional content-based restrictions on speech, in violation of the First Amendment. The court’s decision in Reed v, Town of Gilbert almost certainly places many sign ordinances throughout the state, and the country, on questionable legal footing.
 

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Sign Code Update: Finding the Sweet Spot between Flexibility & Clutter Management

Sign Code Update: Finding the Sweet Spot between Flexibility & Clutter Management

A case study in integrating form-based and street graphic approaches into the sign code update for the City of Lacey.
 

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