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Annotated Sample Sian Ordinance- City of Hopkins <br />Comment: The following regulations reflect the policy choices of the City of Hopkins. Different <br />communities may make different policy decisions. <br />SECTION I — PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS <br />570.01. Findings, purpose and effect. <br />a. Findings. The city council hereby finds as follows: <br />1. Exterior signs have a substantial impact on the character and quality of the <br />environment. <br />2. Signs provide an important medium through which individuals may convey a <br />variety of messages. <br />3. Signs can create traffic hazards, aesthetic concerns and detriments to property <br />values, thereby threatening the public health, safety and welfare. <br />4. The city's zoning regulations have, since as early as 1966, included the <br />regulation of signs in an effort to provide adequate means of expression and to <br />promote the economic viability of the business community, while protecting the <br />city and its citizens from a proliferation of signs of a type, size, location and <br />character that would adversely impact upon the aesthetics of the community and <br />threaten the health, safety and welfare of the community. The regulation of the <br />physical characteristics of signs within the city has had a positive impact on <br />traffic safety and the appearance of the community. <br />b. Purpose and intent. It is not the purpose or intent of this sign ordinance to regulate the <br />message displayed on any sign; nor is it the purpose or intent of this article to regulate <br />any building design or any display not defined as a sign, or any sign which cannot be <br />viewed from outside a building. The purpose and intent of this article is to: <br />1. Regulate the number, location, size, type, illumination and other physical <br />characteristics of signs within the city in order to promote the public health, safety <br />and welfare. <br />2. Maintain, enhance and improve the aesthetic environment of the city by <br />preventing visual clutter that is harmful to the appearance of the community. <br />3. Improve the visual appearance of the city while providing for effective means <br />of communication, consistent with constitutional guarantees and the city's goals <br />of public safety and aesthetics. <br />1 <br />