PORT TOWNSEND — Recommendations from two committees regarding the city’s rules for business signs could end in Port Townsend City Council action changing the city code or cutting the number of sandwich boards on the sidewalks.
The city Planning Commission and an ad hoc sign committee, comprised of community members and local business owners, both agreed the code needs to be changed — but first, both are asking for it to be enforced.
Enforcement of the sign code has been suspended since 2004, when the City Council decided the code should be updated.
“The city put a code into effect and didn’t enforce it,” said City Manager David Timmons at Monday’s City Council meeting.
“That’s why we’re at where we’re at now.”
City Planner Rick Sepler gave the council an overview of the code on Monday.
The presentation, which addressed several types of signs within the city, focused on sandwich board signs.
A survey of such signs in the National Historic Landmark District — which includes downtown and uptown — taken in 2007 found that only 45 percent of sandwich board signs are legal.
All sandwich board signs outside of the district are illegal unless they are used for community based events such as the Port Townsend Farmer’s Market.
However, all the signs remain because the code is not being enforced.
“There are several businesses who have followed the code and have gone through the permitting process,” Sepler said.
“Meanwhile their competitors have not, and that creates an unfair advantage.”
