Bloomington Initiates Update of Sign Code Rules

Business owners can now provide input on new digital sign and storefront advertising regulations for the city.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Isometric editorial illustration of a generic commercial building facade, representing municipal regulatory planning. — The City of Bloomington is inviting local business owners to contribute feedback on proposed updates to its 1979 municipal sign code. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local governments enact stricter design standards for business signage in your area?

Bloomington is initiating an update to its 1979 advertising sign code to better regulate digital signage and storefront displays. Business owners and local operators have until late October to provide input via an online mapping survey.

Why it matters

The current code predates modern internet-based commerce and requires modernization to address contemporary issues like digital sign brightness and window advertising. Operators should participate to shape future compliance standards for their physical storefronts.

The city is replacing a 47-year-old sign code that has been in place since 1979. Officials are seeking feedback to bridge the gap between legacy standards and current digital signage requirements.

The players

Bloomington

The municipal government overseeing the update of local advertising sign codes.

McKenna

A Michigan-based consulting firm advising on the municipal sign code project.

The details

The city has partnered with Michigan-based consulting firm McKenna to modernize the regulations. The process includes an interactive mapping tool where operators can flag specific sign issues or locations that currently hinder or unfairly penalize storefront visibility. Proposed changes focus on the technical specifications of digital signage and the coverage of window advertisements.

1979: The city adopted the original sign code.
September 2026: An open house was held for the sign code update project.
October 2026: An online survey remains open for public and business feedback.

Market Landscape

This initiative replaces a regulatory framework established in 1979 that no longer aligns with modern storefront needs. The city aims to create a consistent policy that could potentially be adopted by the Town of Normal to harmonize regional signage rules.

Business owners should review their existing storefront and digital signage for potential non-compliance under proposed future rules. Submit feedback through the city’s online mapping tool before the end of October to influence the upcoming code transition.

The takeaway

The move toward modernizing advertising rules suggests stricter future guidelines on digital brightness and window displays. Operators should review the city's online mapping survey to understand how current storefront assets may be impacted by the pending policy shift.