  Competing ferroelectric and charge density wave phases have been proposed to
be present in the electron-phonon coupled LaO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$BiS$_{2}$
superconductor. The lattice instability arises from unstable phonon modes that
can break the crystal symmetry. Upon examination of the crystal structure using
single crystal diffraction, we find a superlattice pattern arising from
coherent in-plane displacements of the sulfur atoms in the BiS$_{2}$
superconducting planes. The distortions morph into coordinated ferro-distortive
patterns, challenging previous symmetry suggestions including the possible
presence of unstable antiferro-distortive patterns. The ferro-distortive
pattern remains in the superconducting state, but with the displacements
diminished in magnitude. Moreover, the sulfur displacements can exist in
several polytypes stacked along the c-axis. Charge carriers can get trapped in
the lattice deformations reducing the effective number of carriers available
for pairing.
