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It's been over a year in the making, but the Spokane Valley City
Council put the final touches on a new sign ordinance Tuesday night.
The new law allows for bigger signs in some cases, greater height
standards in others and allowing businesses to use up to 25 percent
of wall space for signs. Signs may also be placed closer together
- 300 feet apart on a single property as opposed to the former 500
feet.
"We want to be business-friendly," said Council Member
Richard Munson a day before the new standards were unanimously passed
by the council.
Others recognized the new law might not be popular with some. Spokane
County commissioners - after months of wrangling - passed their
own sign code in early 2001. It was largely more restrictive than
what the city passed Tuesday and was championed by then-Commissioner
John Roskelley.
"There are some people in the community who won't be happy
with it," said Council Member Mike Flanigan. "Then again,
they probably wouldn't be happy with anything we had."
The new rules were drafted by an ad hoc sign committee, which first
started meeting last year. The committee first brought its rules
to the Planning Commission, which gave its approval in a 4-2 vote
in January.
The first reading of the sign ordinance went before the City Council
on March 8, but council members decided they wanted a bit more time
to tweak the rules. One change is old business signs - which might
otherwise be out of compliance under the new law - may be fixed
or replaced if damaged.
Bill Gothmann, who sat on the Planning Commission, told the council
he was happy with the ordinance, which now encourages multibusiness
signs by allowing them to be higher and allows for the same size
standards in industrial zones as commercial areas.
"My opinion is that it's not the ordinance that's the issue,
but enforcement of what's there," Gothmann said. "All
in all, this is a good ordinance."
David Gnotta, a city resident, told council members he hoped the
city would crack down on those signs that don't meet the law, such
as portable signs or "temporary" signs that end up in
the same spot every day during business hours.
Greater enforcement would also ensure jitterbugging inflatables
advertising cheap haircuts have the proper one-month-only permits.
Council Member Steve Taylor asked the council for tighter restrictions
on political signs but got no support from his colleagues.
"Political signs are an eyesore," he said. "I'm
sure the community feels the same."
The council has yet to make a decision of how to address billboards
- currently, no new billboards are allowed to be constructed in
the city. That will come as the council shapes the comprehensive
land-use plan in the late summer and fall.
At that time, the council will also consider the greater sign restrictions
on "aesthetic corridors" - such as Appleway Boulevard
or Indiana Avenue.
In other news, the council:
o approved a pavement-cut policy that matches rules in place in
Spokane County and the city of Spokane to regulate when utilities
can break into Spokane Valley streets for repair work. It also approves
a warranty standard for the patches, which - if done incorrectly
- can cause a bumpy ride for motorists.
The council also approved increasing the permit fee for pavement
cuts from $41 to $70 to help cover the cost of inspections.
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By
MIKE HUFFMAN
