Background
In June of 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Reed v. Town of Gilbert that categorizing signs based on the type of information they convey and establishing different restrictions based on sign type places unconstitutional content-based restrictions on speech.
The general idea is that if you need to read the words on a sign to know which regulations apply, those regulations likely violate free speech rules.
Proposed Update
The City of Mukilteo sign code has not been updated since Reed v. Town of Gilbert. The city started work on a sign code update in 2018 but the project stalled due to turnover and staffing shortages. The project is moving forward in 2023.
The proposed scope of this update includes:
- Removing content-based regulations
- Moving sign regulations from other sections of Title 17 into Chapter 17.80
- Simplifying language and structure to make regulations easier to read and administer
- Making non-substantive changes to nearby sections of code to be efficient with funds
Stay informed
Email planningdept@mukilteowa.gov to become a ‘Party of Interest’ and receive emails about this code amendment. It’s scheduled for review at the Planning Commission in October with the next steps being a public hearing, Planning Commission recommendation, and review by City Council.
