Advocacy - Historic Broadway Sign District Ordinance

Agency / Organization: City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning

Status: Complete

Intent: Amid Broadway’s revitalization, the City of LA adopted a stringent code that severely restricted signage. In addition, what remained of Broadway’s awe-inspiring signage was suffering substantial decay and neglect.

Seeking to encourage the recreation and restoration of historic signs, incentivize the creation of new signs, and allow for open-panel roof signs, vertical “blade signs,” and murals on secondary facades, we worked at a city councilman’s request to lead all technical components of the new policy document, issued in 2015 and affecting each building along Broadway from 1st Street to 12th Street.

Building owners now have a framework to help them maximize signage, generate additional income, and help create “sign programs” which facilitate the design and permitting of future tenant spaces. The iconic signage that once filled this district is able to return for the enjoyment of new generations.

Omgivning’s Director Morgan Sykes Jaybush was instrumental in this working group to lead creative problem solving in which to provide financial incentives for property owners through signage, in particular revenue generating off site signage, while thoughtfully considering historic preservation. Broadway was originally the entertainment and commercial district of Los Angeles with many large bold signs, so working with the framework of the past for the future was the primary goal guiding this ordinance.

Broadway Sign District Ordinance from January 2016

Advocacy