Last week, City of Vaughan Council passed Phase One of the sign bylaw recommendations to address some urgent changes, listed below.  They are currently in Phase Two of the review, and are seeking input from sign businesses operating in Vaughan as well as other stakeholders.

Areas being considered include: 

  • What should Vaughan’s sign landscape include?
  • What should be provisions around digital and billboard signage?
  • How can we improve our Sign Variance consideration process?
  • Can we improve sign provisions in our Heritage Conservation Districts?
  • What other types of signage should be permitted and used, such as feather banners, and how should this impact the use of other signage?

How to get involved:

  1. Take the brief (5 to 10 minute) Sign By-law Review Survey , or
  2. Attend one of two public consultations on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Vaughan City Hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr. West, Vaughan, ON, L6A 1T1:
    • Committee Room 246, 1 pm to 2pm; or
    • Committee Room 242, 5 pm to 6pm.

 

Phase One Changes

The by-law is currently being updated to reflect the approved Phase One changes, which should take effect in late March 2018.  View the report for full Phase One details, however a summary of changes is included below:

  • Development of one by-law to govern sign regulation.
  • Allow licensed Renovators, Fence Installers, Pavers, Landscapers, Pool Installers and provincially certified trades to use lawn signs on private property with the property owner’s permission during the course of their work.
  • Eliminate design restrictions on mobile sign graphics and lettering.
  • Allow City of Vaughan staff and the Regional Municipality of York to be exempt from the requirements of the City’s Sign By-law.
  • Introduce third party elections signage including a $100 fee per registrant.
  • Strengthen the City’s ability to enforce the by-law by:
    • expanding accountability for infractions to anyone who causes, permits or contributes to a contravention of the by-law;
    • better recovering costs for sign removal, storage and disposal;  and
    • collecting remedial work costs in a manner similar to taxes, where appropriate.
    • Disposing of certain types of prohibited signage on public property without notice to the owner, such as posters, stickers and placards.
    • Remove the restriction on window signs with respect to the percentage of window area they can occupy, except in Heritage Conservation Districts.
    • Require real estate open-house or similar signs to be required to include the address of the corresponding property.
    • Update the Special Sign District maps be updated in accordance with the Heritage Conservation Districts established by the Development Planning.

Learn more on our website at www.vaughan.ca/bylaw.

For more information, reach out to City of Vaughan’s Regulatory Policy Analyst Carol Ramchuram at 905-832-2281, ext. 8783 or [email protected]