Sign Control & Support Staff

The LPA also exercises authority over sign control. To prevent visual clutter and maintain the aesthetic quality of the community, the agency enforces strict rules regarding the size, height, lighting, and placement of signs. This is not just about beauty; it is also a safety issue. The LPA ensures that signs are not placed in a way that blocks the view of drivers at intersections or distracts traffic, balancing the business owner's need to advertise with the public's need for safety and order.Since the members of the LPA are volunteers who may not have technical expertise in engineering or architecture, they rely heavily on professional support staff. These are the paid, full-time city or county employees—such as certified urban planners, civil engineers, and attorneys—who run the planning department. The support staff performs the heavy lifting: they accept the applications, perform the technical research, verify legal compliance, and write a professional recommendation report for every item on the agenda. The LPA members then use these staff reports to make informed decisions during their public hearings.