Sign Code Amendments and Columbia Memorial Hospital Campus Signage
Summary
Council adopted the sign code ordinance but pulled out a bed-and-breakfast definition change that would have restricted weddings and parties. Councilor Conklin argued weddings are vital to B&B economics; staff will revisit the definition in a broader transient lodging update.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 3
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Apr 20, 2026.
Impact analysis
No direct cost to the city, but better signage supports the hospital's 180,000-plus square foot expansion.
Bed-and-breakfast operators keep the ability to host weddings, and the hospital gains workable sign standards.
Neighbors near the campus could see more light pollution if internally lit signs aren't tightly regulated.
Mentions & discussions (3)
City Council - Apr 20, 2026
Council adopted the sign code ordinance but pulled out a bed-and-breakfast definition change that would have restricted weddings and parties. Councilor Conklin argued weddings are vital to B&B economics; staff will revisit the definition in a broader transient lodging update.
City Council Work Session - Mar 23, 2026
Proposed updates would modernize Astoria's sign rules and add a new signage section for the Health Care zone to support Columbia Memorial Hospital's medical campus. The public hearing is April 6 — the last chance for residents to weigh in before adoption.
Planning Commission - Jan 27, 2026
Columbia Memorial Hospital wants the city to drop caps on the total number and square footage of signs in the hospital zone so it can sign its growing campus without repeated variances. Commissioners support the concept but worry about light pollution near neighborhoods and what happens if the land ever changes hands.
Related development
Columbia Memorial Hospital HC Zone Sign Code Amendment
The hospital campus would be fully signed for wayfinding across future phases without repeated variances, but neighbors want tighter limits on lit signs to protect nearby homes from glare.
Sign Code Amendments (Case File A26-01)
The changes make the sign code easier to administer and give the hospital workable sign standards; the B&B definition will be revisited later.
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