Temporary outdoor signage or displays for nationally competitively bid events.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 25-157
in effectSec. 25-157. - Temporary outdoor signage or displays for nationally competitively bid events.
(a) Outdoor signage or displays, including, but not limited to, portable signs, flags, streamers, pennants, banners, posters, decorative flags, video screens, balloons, electronic message boards, nighttime projections of messages, inflatables and building wraps installed by the event producing entity shall be permitted within the relevant safety zone described in this Article and upon compliance with all the applicable provisions of this chapter.
(b) Plans for signage or displays referenced in subsection (a) of this section must be submitted to the MOSE for review. The MOSE shall review the plans on an event by event basis in conjunction with the directors for compliance with all applicable national, state, and municipal safety standards as well as the Event Safety Alliance Guidelines created by the Event Safety Alliance, prior to approval and installation. The MOSE director shall notify the event producing entity of the director's determination in writing.
(c) The Event Safety Alliance Guidelines shall be available for public review in the city secretary's office. In the event a proposed signage or display is not discussed in the Event Safety Alliance Guidelines, the MOSE, in conjunction with the other directors, may establish requirements as needed. These requirements shall be maintained in the MOSE director's office for inspection and for purchase at the copy fee provided by law.
(d) Plans for signage or displays referenced in subsection (a) of this section must describe the size, height, setback, illumination, density and spacing type, other dimensions, placement location, and safety requirements of the signage or displays to be installed.
(e) The mayor or her designee shall give notice of the specific criteria for the zone to city council within a reasonable period of time prior to commencement of a national bid event period. MOSE shall publish, promulgate and make available on the city website rules and regulations that provide clear and objective standards to promote health, safety and welfare of the public, which at a minimum shall address:
(1) Traffic and transportation, including traffic plans and street closures;
(2) Impermissible and permissible signs and displays, including objective parameters regarding height, setback, illumination, density and spacing and the type and location of the displays to be installed and the time of their installation; and
(3) Relevant safety provisions, including security control plans
The website shall include a schedule for obtaining any requisite licenses or permits.
(f) Upon receipt of the director's decision to deny a plan for signage or displays, the event producing entity may appeal such decision by giving written notice to the city secretary within five business days of the date of such decision. The city secretary and city agenda director shall arrange a date for the matter to be reviewed by city council, at the next regularly-scheduled council meeting for which it is possible to give lawful prior notice of the matter after the receipt of the directors' decision and the record required by rule 12 of section 2-2 of this Code. The city secretary shall give written notice thereof to the event producing entity. The city council shall consider the appeal under the provisions of rule 12. Upon conclusion of the city council's review of the matter, the city council shall render a decision to grant or deny the requested plan for signage or displays. Such decision shall be final and shall exhaust the event producing entity's administrative remedies. If the foregoing time requirements appear inadequate to resolve the appeal prior the date scheduled for the special event, the burden shall be upon the event producing entity to expedite any filings required to request a special city council meeting, which shall be granted if reasonable under the circumstances.
(Ord. No. 2015-1302, § 2, 12-16-2015)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH25SPEV_ARTIVNACOBIEV_S25-157TEOUSIDINACOBIEVFetched: 10/26/2026