Experts who work with sign codes and regulations called it “the gift that keeps on giving.” Three years on, the landmark 2015 case Reed v. Town of Gilbert, in which a sign code issue turned into a First Amendment battle, continues to reverberate through the signage industry, and its impacts have been both positive and negative.

“On the positive side, since nearly every community has had to go back to make sure their sign code is constitutionally compliant, this has given us the opportunity to work with many local officials to help them on the particular issue of content neutrality,” said David Hickey, VP of Advocacy for the International Sign Association (ISA). “It's also given us the chance to work with these communities on broader aspects of their sign code.”

Temporary wayfinding or other kind of signage have long been strictly regulated for aesthetic and “anti-clutter” reasons.