Creating an attractive public realm drives the economic, cultural and social development of modern cities (Witter & Crawford, 2013; Pugalis, 2009). Regulation has long since guided urban growth, and it is essential for municipalities today to construct regulation that is conducive to creating visually stimulating public spaces. As an influential aspect of a modern streetscape, commercial signage can contribute to visual pollution if not properly regulated (Crawford, Lee, & Beatty, 2015; Portella, 2014). Little scientific research has been conducted on the impacts of commercial signage and the varying arrangements created by different sign regulations in regards to perception (Jourdan, Hurd, & Hawkins, 2013; Portella, 2014). Developing sign codes that reflect the desires of the people is the responsibility of planning and design professionals (Pendlebury & Townshend, 1999; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). With the rise of public involvement in planning (Lane, 2006; Sanoff, 2000), it is essential that designers and non-designers can coordinate to develop proper sign controls which contribute to urban growth. This research studies the differences and similarities in perceptions of planning and design professionals and non-designers to aid in the development of future, more positively perceived signage regulation. By using visual models presented in the form of a survey, findings show both similarities and differences between these groups in their assessment of signscapes regarding communication, perceptions of characteristics like beauty, interest and order, an overall preference toward highly structured codes, and a difference in harshness of evaluation.
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