Update: Mayor Plans to Introduce Sign Ordinace Amendment to Council

Grosse Pointe Woods City Council will meet Monday to discuss an amendment to the city's sign ordinance, even though city offices will be closed for Monday's Presidents' Day holiday.

Mayor Robert Novitke said he has an amendment he would like to propose to the council members, which was why the meeting was being called. He declined to be more specific and did not confirm whether it was related . He said he wants to introduce the amendment to council members directly rather than having them read about it in the media beforehand.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 21, in the Conference Room of the , 20025 Mack Plaza.

Meanwhile, the drive to collect signatures continued throughout the weekend. Employees of some of the businesses asking council to drop the Woods' ban on neon signs were out Sunday morning asking people along Mack Avenue

A city employee sent the meeting notice a few minutes before the city closed for a long weekend. The agenda does not specify which clause or name a specific portion of the ordinance the council members intend to discuss.

The council normally meets the first and third Mondays of the month, but Monday is Presidents' Day and the council had rescheduled its meeting for the following Monday, Feb. 28.

Meanwhile, the group of business owners trying to gather voter signatures to overturn the city's ban on neon has stepped up its efforts. Earlier in the week, the group had already gathered more than 700 signatures. Members need 1,322 to get the issue on the November ballot for general election.

The neon ban is one of the many clauses included in the city's sign ordinance. It addresses many aspects of signs, including size, type, allowable lighting options and more.

A few of the council members knew about the meeting before receiving the official notice, Novitke said. 

The council is meeting Monday as the Committee of the Whole, which is a less formal meeting where council members can discuss issues and come up with recommendations for their consideration during the more formal council meetings.

Council will discuss an amendment but not take formal action Monday, but instead may vote on a recommendation that would then be formally voted on the following Monday.