Is there anything more joyous than seeing balloons and streamers leading up the path to a children’s birthday party? Or seeing a large banner announcing “Welcome Home” to a military member?
We love these sights, and I’ll bet you do too. But as we read the proposed sign ordinance it appears these and other signs will be prohibited. Signs like “Welcome Home”, “It’s a Boy or Girl”, even blue and gold star banners displayed in a window. WeMAR questions the necessity for government to prohibit and regulate personal expressions of joy, pride and sorrow.
We appreciate the provision for temporary signage at each entrance to a neighborhood, but are concerned this is not adequate signage for the task. Whether the sign is for an open house, a garage sale, movie in the park or other neighborhood event. A sign at the entrance simply directs traffic into the neighborhood. We ask this be changed so that a sign may be posted at each location a change in direction is required to efficiently arrive at the location.
WeMAR is concerned for small business located in retail, industrial and commercial spaces not easily seen by passersby. These businesses require and are dependent on, signs at the entrance of their location. Think about driving down Thunderbird and trying to locate a small business in one of the retail centers at 83rd Ave and Thunderbird. You can’t.
We question the compelling government interest in regulating helpful directional signage inside a retail/industrial/multi-family or other commercial center. Multiple stores or buildings with wall facing several directions may need directional’s and additional wall signage to efficiently guide traffic and identify location.
We appreciate Table 4A being amended. And we believe limiting signage to outside the visual triangle should alleviate concerns for unmanageable numbers of signs at corners.
We request a change to the language in the table header on page 27. It currently reads “properties listed for sale, lease or rent”. Property owners have the right to sell or lease their own property without hiring a real estate licensee. We suggest changing the language to: “properties offered for sale, lease or rent”.
We have additional concerns for the language in the table regarding duration of signage. For properties under 1 acre the statement reads “While property is listed”. We suggest this phrase be changed to “While property is listed or actively offered for sale, lease or rent”. For properties over an acre we suggest the same language change. We also suggest extending the language “until the later of 10 days after the end of the listing or 10 days after completion of lease/sale transaction” to the section regarding properties over an acre.
WeMAR is concerned that signage be adequate, visible and legible. We support using the science of the visual arc to help determine adequate signage. Businesses located along busy streets with a high volume of traffic may require more or larger signs than businesses located in less congested, more visible locations.
Property owners trying to direct traffic to their location may need signs along public right of ways and additional signage in the neighborhood in order to efficiently direct traffic to their location. Think of the difference in directing a potential open house client to a house located at 87rd Ave & Peoria versus a house in West Wing or Vistancia. And think about directing traffic to homes in the area of the 6500 homes north of Vistancia soon to be developed.
We appreciate the time and work staff has put into simplifying the sign ordinance. We are pleased staff has taken into consideration comments from WeMAR and other stakeholders. You received copies of our written comments from last year and our updated comments earlier this summer. If you have questions or wish clarification on our position or comments, please call or email us. We would be happy to answer your questions.
Thank you for your time.