Agents offering space in Dunwoody’s high-rise buildings are breathing a little easier now that they can display signs visible to motorists on the structures.

Dunwoody City Council voted to approve an ordinance allowing a change in the sign ordinance to allow signs on any side of a building facing a road — but only above the 12th story.

Council approved the ordinance despite staff members offering a last-minute change to allow visible signs on buildings of any height.

Post 5 Councilman Danny Ross said allowing signs on any building would lead to a number of new, unsightly signs at eye level.

“It seems to me like we can end up with a lot of gawdy signs on buildings,” Ross said.

Post 4 Councilman Robert Wittenstein asked staff members to give the council more advance notice before a change is made to a plan already seen by the council.

Mayor Ken Wright said the staff needed to send the plan for visible signs on all buildings to the city’s community council and planning commission.

In other action, council members delayed a vote on a proposed ordinance requiring developers to meet with area residents before zoning or construction plans are submitted for city review.

The delay was prompted by a debate on if individual residents or established groups could represent surrounding residents in the meetings.

Some council members said they supported meetings with neighborhood groups as required in the proposal. However, one resident said council needed to more specifically define such groups. And Ross asked who they would meet with if no community groups existed.

“I think we need to rethink this,” Ross said. “I think it’s all muddled up now.”

Council members also added a requirement that the city manager must locate a meeting place if the developer and residents cannot agree on one.

Dunwoody City Council also voted to apply for a Liveable Centers Initiative grant of $100,000 from the Atlanta Regional Commission to study how to make improvements to the Dunwoody Village area. The city would be responsible for providing matching funds totaling 20 percent of the grant.

City Manager Warren Hutmacher said the city planned to conduct a Dunwoody Village study even if the application was denied.