Moratorium on EMCs…Bad News for Business
On Tuesday, the Yakima City Council held a public hearing to consider a moratorium on EMC signs. ISA’s James Carpentier (@jamescarpentier) testified that the 6 month moratorium on EMCs is poor public policy for a number of reasons including: moratoriums can have the effect of favoring businesses which already have EMC signs; moratoriums often take place during important economic opportunities for local businesses; moratoriums could discourage the development of new businesses. The city is currently working on a downtown plan and has an increased concern with aesthetics in the core area and entryways into the city. Some of the Council members did express concerns that the moratorium may have a negative impact on businesses. Despite these concerns, the Council unanimously voted to approve the 6 month moratorium on billboards and EMCs. Due to the potential impact on businesses, the Council directed staff to work with the sign industry and bring back a draft of the code as soon as possible. For more information please contact James Carpentier.
