Despite a final plea by a representative of the housing industry for additional changes, City Council on Wednesday voted to approve a slew of alterations to the city’s sign ordinance.

The changes will make it easier for businesses to market their products and services and for organizations to advertise their special events, councilman and business owner Mike Duman said.

“I think we have a reasonable ordinance and, more importantly, an enforceable ordinance,” he said, alluding to perceived inequity in enforcement that brought the issue to the table a year ago.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I’m ecstatic with the results,” he said.

The now-finalized changes are:

• Decorative flags are expressly permitted, so long as no more than two are displayed per premise.
• Businesses and nonprofit organizations can apply for a permit to display one banner, which must be durable, attached to the building and kept in good repair. Banners may be switched out, but there is a maximum of one at a time. They must include advertising copy, not just a business name or logo. The permit must be renewed annually.
• The time period permitted special-event signs are allowed to be displayed is extended from 21 to 30 days.
• Corporate flags are expressly permitted but must be flown in conjunction with other flags, such as the American flag.
• Residential subdivisions under construction may advertise with one sign per entrance, two wind-driven flags with no advertising copy per entrance, and separate signs advertising the sales office, model homes and directions to the model homes.

Tuck Bowie, president of The TerryPeterson Companies, said he had hoped for an additional change that would allow banners and wind-driven flags at model homes, as well as at subdivision entrances.

“This is one of those opportunities we can certainly leverage” to advertise, he said.

However, Planning Director Scott Mills said he feels the changes already proposed are enough.

“I think we’ve provided ample opportunity to advertise those subdivisions,” he said.