The City of Saluda has made amendments to its zoning ordinance which were approved during the city’s June 8 meeting.

Commissioners approved the amendments with only one adjustment to the draft following a public hearing where the board discussed the ordinance with a packed meeting room for more than an hour.

During the meeting the board discussed commissioner Leon Morgan’s concerns with temporary signs on page 13 of the draft.

“Any temporary sign located in a residential district expressing opinions of beliefs, or making statements on any subject, provided the same do not incite physical violence or advocate or promote illegal activity. Such signs are not to exceed 6 sq (square feet) and are to be located on the property of the applicant or with written permission from the property owner,” states the ordinance.

Morgan said he really has concerns about that section, asking what the city is proposing to do about cross (religious) signs.

Mayor Fred Baisden said the only thing he sees is the city is restricting those type signs to six square feet.

City attorney Bailey Nager said the city can’t take away the freedom of expression of anyone, but the city can have reasons for not having an excessive number of signs and excessively large signs.

No changes were made to the section regarding temporary signs in residential zoning districts.

Morgan also said he also had concerns over the section on page 12 concerning signs pertaining to political campaigns.

The original draft stated “such signs are not allowed within the C-H commercial district.”

The C-H district is Saluda’s downtown area, with some saying residents who live in the C-H district should have the same freedom of expression as other residents.

Morgan said he put Baisden’s political sign on his property.

Commissioner Lynn Cass said elections are for two months every other year and people expect signs.

City planner Jon Cannon said the railroad track side of Main Street is the C1 district where political signs are allowed. If the ordinance had stood as drafted, political signs would not be on the opposite side of Main Street, Cannon said.

Commissioners agreed unanimously to strike the sentence disallowing political signs in the C-H district when approving the zoning ordinance amendments pertaining to signs.

Copies of the new sign ordinance can be obtained at city hall or through the city’s website at www.cityofsaludanc.com.