Back to A - D listing of Local Zoning or Sign Codes. The permit process usually begins when the sign company or business owner obtains an application from a zoning or building official in the local government office. While applications normally require the applicant to submit information related to the construction and installation of the sign, and the site where it will be installed, requirements will vary from community to community. The application must be filled out completely and accurately. In most communities, the application fee must be paid in full before the application will be reviewed.
Administrative approval is a straightforward process based on objective criteria.
An administrator approves or rejects the application based on whether the proposed sign will be in compliance with the numerical standards in the sign code. Design review, in contrast, supplements numerical standards with qualitative guidelines. Proponents of design review claim that the addition of this discretionary process promotes creativity and permits greater flexibility in sign approval. Critics argue that the process creates uncertainty about permit approvals and significantly increases both the cost and time required to obtain permit approval. A design review code is more likely to run into First and Fourteenth Amendment problems than an administration approval code.