By Chris OrletRecord Managing EditorWarrenton residents soon may begin seeing more signs along some roads.The board of aldermen Tuesday voted 3-2 to place a moratorium on an ordinance that allowed the city to remove signs in the Missouri Department of Transportation right of way.Voting to allow temporary signs — at least temporarily — were John Clark, James Dreyer and Gary Auch. Voting against the motion were John Cornell and Fred Flake. Karen Casserly was absent.The motion to lift the sign ban is for a six-month test period.The board’s action was in response to a request by Monte Cannon, president of Cannon Builders located in Troy.Earlier this month Cannon warned the board that failure to loosen the sign rules may result in home builders putting their time and resources into other communities. Cannon Builders are the developers of the Field of Dreams subdivision near Warrenton High School. Cannon said he has 38 lots he needs to sell in Field of Dreams.Cannon said directional signs were key to home sales because newer developments were not yet on Google Maps and GPS devices.Mayor Jerry Dyer said that the board had to decide what is in the interest of the city of Warrenton and not what’s best for Cannon Builders.The moratorium will allow not only directional real estate signs in the right of way, but any and all signs. Recent court decisions prohibit government entities from allowing or banning signs based on their content.The board was told that signs in the MoDOT right of way are prohibited by state law, however, MoDOT seldom enforces the law on weekdays and never on weekends.In response to complaints by numerous property owners along Highway 47, the board of aldermen several years ago passed an ordinance which stated that it would enforce the state law banning signs in the state right of way.“I don’t know why the city took on the responsibility of doing the state’s job,” Auch said. “The state should do the state’s job.”Cannon said in other cities he has known nearby property owners to walk out into the state right of way and pull up the signs. “If they are that intense about it I will go somewhere else with the signs,” he said. “Those signs cost me $10 each.”In opposing the measure, Cornell said he found it difficult to accommodate home builders if it meant refusing to enforce the city’s rules or regulations.Cannon promised that his company would retrieve the signs after the weekend.“I would feel guilty if they were out there later than 8 a.m. Monday,” he said.Cannon said he was satisfied with the trial period. “If I get nothing but bad press we can shut it down,” he said.City votes for 6-month moratorium on sign ban