Draft chapter 167: Sign Code

§ 167.06 Non-Conforming Signs

The 2026 draft's § 167.06 beside the current code's Zoning § 6.06: removed words are struck through, added words underlined.

Comparison with a draft: not adopted. The archive holds no public hearing, ordinance or vote adopting the recodified Code through the October 20, 2026 meeting packet. Until one is adopted, every page here compares the consolidated code with a draft that can still change: the revised draft with the October 6 changes is not in the archive.

A comparison with the August 2026 draft recodification prepared by Iowa Codification for the City. The draft has not been adopted and can still change; the current code (unofficial compilation) governs until a recodified Code is adopted. Matches between sections are made by machine from the texts and are reviewed where uncertain.

Renumbered or moved wording changed (90% same words)

What changed

A. 1. Signs existing on the effective date of the ordinance adopting this Ordinance Sign Code† that do not conform to these regulations are non-conforming signs. Non-conforming signs man may not be rebuilt, structurally altered, or moved to a new location without obtaining compliance with the requirements of this Ordinance. Code.
B. 2. Business signs on the premises of a non-conforming use or building may be continued, but the signs may not expand in number, area, height, or illumination. New signs not to exceed 35 square feet in aggregate sign area may be erected if all other signs existing at the time of adoption of the Zoning Ordinance Code are removed.
C. 3. Non-conforming signs that are listed in the Prohibited Sign Section of this Ordinance 167.02 and have a value of less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) $500.00 must be removed within ten 10 days after receiving written notice by from the Zoning Administrator.
D. 4. Non-conforming signs of any business or other legal entity that ceases the activities to that which the signs refer or that is replaced by a different business or other
entity, mustl shall be removed, relocated, or rebuilt in a conforming manner or permitted to continue only as a Special Use special use with a specific amortization agreement established by the City Council with recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The period of the amortization agreement may shall not be less than five years or more than 15 years. The specific time period for the amortization for a specific sign must shall consider the extent of the difference between the non-conforming condition or conditions of the sign and the requirements of the City of Tiffin this Sign Ordinance, Code, as well as the extent of any economic hardship in altering or removing the specific sign to assure conformity with the provisions of the City of Tiffin this Sign Ordinance. Code.
E. 5. Any non-conforming sign that the Zoning Administrator finds to be unsafe must shall be removed immediately.

Word-level comparison of the current text with the draft's; spacing and paragraph breaks come from the documents' text. Footnotes are left out.

Current code

Zoning § 6.06 Nonconforming Signs

A. Signs existing on the effective date of this Ordinance that do not conform to these regulations are non-conforming signs. Non-conforming signs man not be rebuilt, structurally altered, or moved to a new location without obtaining compliance with the requirements of this Ordinance.

B. Business signs on the premises of a non-conforming use or building may be continued, but the signs may not expand in number, area, height, or illumination. New signs not to exceed 35 square feet in aggregate sign area may be erected if all other signs existing at the time of adoption of the Zoning Ordinance are removed.

C. Non-conforming signs that are listed in the Prohibited Sign Section of this Ordinance and have a value of less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) must be removed within ten days after receiving written notice by the Zoning Administrator.

D. Non-conforming signs of any business or other legal entity that ceases the activities to that the signs refer or that is replaced by a different business or other entity, mustl be removed, relocated, or rebuilt in a conforming manner or permitted to continue only as a Special Use with a specific amortization agreement established by the City Council with recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The period of the amortization agreement may not be less than five years or more than 15 years. The specific time period for the amortization for a specific sign must consider the extent of the difference between the non-conforming condition or conditions of the sign and the requirements of the City of Tiffin Sign Ordinance, as well as the extent of any economic hardship in altering or removing the specific sign to assure conformity with the provisions of the City of Tiffin Sign Ordinance.

E. Any non-conforming sign that the Zoning Administrator finds to be unsafe must be removed immediately.

Zoning Ordinance (2007) · source page

2026 draft

§ 167.06 Non-Conforming Signs

1. Signs existing on the effective date of the ordinance adopting this Sign Code† that do not conform to these regulations are non-conforming signs. Non-conforming signs may not be rebuilt, structurally altered, or moved to a new location without obtaining compliance with the requirements of this Code.

2. Business signs on the premises of a non-conforming use or building may be continued, but the signs may not expand in number, area, height, or illumination. New signs not to exceed 35 square feet in aggregate sign area may be erected if all other signs existing at the time of adoption of the Zoning Code are removed.

3. Non-conforming signs that are listed in Section 167.02 and have a value of less than $500.00 must be removed within 10 days after receiving written notice from the Zoning Administrator.

4. Non-conforming signs of any business or other legal entity that ceases the activities to which the signs refer or that is replaced by a different business or other

entity, shall be removed, relocated, or rebuilt in a conforming manner or permitted to continue only as a special use with a specific amortization agreement established by the Council with recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The period of the amortization agreement shall not be less than five years or more than 15 years. The specific time period for the amortization for a specific sign shall consider the extent of the difference between the non-conforming condition or conditions of the sign and the requirements of this Sign Code, as well as the extent of any economic hardship in altering or removing the specific sign to assure conformity with the provisions of this Sign Code.

5. Any non-conforming sign that the Zoning Administrator finds to be unsafe shall be removed immediately.

August 2026 draft · page 637

Back to draft chapter 167 · All changes

Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.