Pahrump Regional Planning Commission looking to make signage code changes

The Pahrump Regional Planning Commission is bringing forward possible changes to Nye County Code regulating signage in the Pahrump Valley, with much of the amendments to be modeled after a Henderson city ordinance.

In recent weeks, Nye County Code Enforcement has been undertaking an effort to identify and remove all signage in the valley that does not conform to county code.

The planning commission is apparently taking part in the effort by reviewing code 17.04.770 to determine where clarifications and improvements can be made. Planning staff noted that they believed the Henderson ordinance was a good starting point for amendment proposals.

Jumping right into the meat of the item, planning commission member Elizabeth Lee said one of the main points that she would like addressed with the code changes is lighting, specifically pertaining to the brightness of illuminated signs.

“I know that Henderson did that, I think there is a lot of good language in there,” Lee stated.

Pahrump Regional Planning Commission Chairman Greg Hafen II said he was not able to fully understand the county’s codes regarding lighting as they stood and he too believed incorporating the Henderson code would be useful. However, he noted that he did not feel the county would need to utilize the entire Henderson code, which was 40 pages long.

Board member Bob Adams seemed to disagree, stating that such an extensive document spells everything out clearly, providing less room for questions.

Nye County Commissioner John Koenig interjected, “You don’t want to take the Henderson one completely. There are parts of it that are applicable to Pahrump and parts that are not … We’re a little bit different than Henderson.”

However, Koenig did concur that the county’s code could use some strengthening. “We are proliferating signs around here and some of them are pretty ugly. They have been there forever,” he said, noting that the county had only so much authority for dealing with nuisance signs under the current code.

One area of particular concern was that pertaining to abandoned signs. Planning staff said the Henderson ordinance outlined such quite well and Hafen agreed.

He stated that abandoned signs are a pet peeve of his and lamented the plethora of signs in the valley that advertise businesses and services that are no longer operational. However, the county’s code was somewhat vague on the definition of abandoned signs, so that was another point the planning commission wanted included in the proposed code changes.

As the item drew to a close, planning commission member Leo Blundo asked staff to ensure they look through a “rural lens” when considering possible changes to the code. Another member requested the portion on sign maintenance give leeway for owners of signs that have been damaged, suggesting a provision for up to 30 days to fix such issues.

“I do appreciate the hard work and effort that has been put into looking into this as well as the effort that has been put into placing the orange stickers and removing the illegal signs that have been put up, especially the ones in the right of way. They are a hazard for vehicles, it blocks the line of sight and a number of them becomes excessive,” Hafen said.

Staff stated that they should have a proposal for the board to consider at its next meeting, scheduled for at 6 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Nye County Commission Chambers, 2100 E. Walt Williams Drive.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes