The City of Colorado Springs Planning Department, as part of a citywide effort, has developed revisions to the City's sign regulations within the Unified Development Code (UDC). The Sign Ordinance proposes updates that align with legal decisions regarding content-neutral sign regulations, as well as the citywide strategic priorities of economic vitality and infrastructure to promote a thriving community. These regulation updates are specific to private property/on-premise signage as well as tactile changes to other chapters of City Code to align terminology.
Project Background
The City of Colorado Springs Sign Ordinance was last updated in March of 2012. Since then, industry and technological changes have evolved, which resulted in new products being introduced. Court rulings and other legal actions regarding content-neutral sign regulations were decided on and now require signs to be regulated by means of time, place and manner and not by content. This update is an extension of the broader Unified Development Code adopted in 2023 and is an opportunity to modernize the City’s sign regulations and better align with industry standards.
View the Current Sign Ordinance
Project Goals & Benefits
The Sign Ordinance updates are necessary to address new technologies, comply with recent legal decisions, improve public safety and aesthetics, and adapt to an ever-changing economic development space. Together, these tactile goals of the proposed ordinance support positive growth. Through the adoption process, this project may still evolve as input from stakeholders and decision-makers is secured. City Planning is currently anticipating adoption in early 2026.
Some of the goals of the ordinance update include:
- Re-formatting the ordinance to reflect the updated Unified Development Code
- Compliance to federal requirements on Content Neutral regulations
- Additional criteria for coordinated sign plans on unique property dynamics
- Updates to the electronic message center sign allocations
- Detailed requirements on sign maintenance and upkeep.
Public Engagement
The City will hold a meeting for the public on Wednesday, October 29 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Pikes Peak Regional Development Center hearing room (2880 International Circle). The meeting will provide an opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes and provide feedback.
Other ways to engage
- Comment during the upcoming City Planning Commission hearing on November 12, 2025
- Comment during the upcoming City Council hearings in 2026