Stephens Co. Commission Extends Billboard Moratorium

Stephens County Commissioners vote to keep up a moratorium on signage and billboards within unincorporated parts of Stephens County for another 90 days.

Commissioners passed the moratorium extension by a unanimous vote on Tuesday.

The county commission first passed a moratorium in February that applied only to the Georgia Highway 17 corridor in the unincorporated parts of the county as county commissioners and a citizens’ group began work on a proposed sign ordinance to put before the commission for its consideration.

County commissioners extended the moratorium in May and August for the Highway 17 corridor.

Then in November, the county commission voted to extend the sign and billboard moratorium to include all unincorporated parts of the county after concerns were raised about a billboard along Big A Road in the county.

Throughout this period, work has continued on that sign ordinance.

Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said she hopes the county will soon have a sign ordinance proposal on the table to be voted on.

“We have written probably four or five drafts and then Commissioners (Debbie) Whitlock and (Michelle) Ivester and I met and whittled away at some other issues,” said Ayers. “The attorney is looking at it for language that does not coincide with some of our other ordinances, so we are getting close.”

According to Ayers, the county commission is hoping to discuss the proposed sign ordinance in February at a retreat.

She said that could mean an ordinance coming before the commission in a meeting in March or April, if all goes according to plan.