Seizing the Opportunity to Improve Sign Codes
When a community issued notices of sign violations to a significant portion of the businesses in her community, a local Chamber of Commerce executive director stepped into action. But merely fixing the issues that the letter raised wasn’t enough. Instead, she worked to push the community to deal with other troubling issues in the existing code.
Kelly Schreiber, executive director of the Stayton/Sublimity Chamber of Commerce in Stayton, Oregon, called ISA’s James Carpentier for assistance. Carpentier looked through the existing code and marked several areas of concern. He then made recommendations for more business-friendly substitutions for those concerns.
Earlier this month, the Stayton City Council amended its sign code, allowing electronic message centers. EMCs can change every 8 seconds and contain graphics. The changes also removed standards for internally illuminated signs. Each business within a shopping center may now have its own free-standing signs in addition to the shopping center sign. Businesses are now allowed to have two temporary signs for up to 90 days each per year and have one portable signs. Signs in certain districts also can be larger.
To learn more about how ISA worked with a local Chamber of Commerce to improve sign codes, contact James Carpentier.
