Project Overview

The Town's Sign Code was established in 1996 and was most recently amended in 2013. The purpose of the Sign Code is to provide reasonable regulations for the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of all signs in the Town of Dedham. Fall 2019 Town Meeting approved $35,000 to hire a consultant to update the existing sign code. To assist with the project, the Town hired Harriman and Steven Cecil Design and Planning to document existing conditions within Dedham, research current best practices for sign codes, investigate new sign technologies and their implications, and prepare recommendations for an update to the code.

Study Goals

CLARIFY definitions, regulations, and enforcement practices.

COORDINATE efforts among the Zoning Board of Appeals, Design Review Advisory Board, and applicants.

CONSOLIDATE all related documents and forms in one easily accessible online location.

COMMUNICATE with residents and business owners to increase knowledge and awareness of the Sign Code Bylaw.

CAPTURE community feedback to help develop a revised Sign Code and rewrite regulations that are deemed to be overly restrictive, unclear or confusing, or difficult to enforce.

Findings and Recommendations

The planning team undertook an extensive review of the existing code to understand what might need to be changed based on stakeholder feedback and current best practices. The team found that much of the current sign code be retained.

Documents

Download the Sign Code Study documents here:

• Draft Updated Dedham Sign Code
• Sign Code Bylaw Study Report DRAFT
• Appendix A_Photographic Inventory compressed
• Appendix B_Signage Procedures
• Appendix C_Signage Application and Action Evaluation
• Appendix D_Stakeholder Interviews
• Dedham Signage Users Guide DRAFT

Contact 

For more information, please contact Planning Director Jeremy Rosenberger, (781) 751-9241.