PORT TOWNSEND — The City Council plans to move forward with an ordinance banning “sandwich board” style signs from city streets.
On Monday night, the council held a public hearing on the matter.
Michael Klupfell was the only one to speak out against the removal of any signs.
“I’ve seen several cities that were micromanaged to irrelevance,” he said.
“If you sterilize the city, you lose the charm that makes people come here.”
Klupfell also asked the council to consider making it possible for him to put a permanent sign on his business, The Village Baker Cafe, at Sims Way and 10th Street. Current code restricts the locations he can place a sign.
Council members said they would look into making it possible for him to adorn the business with a permanent sign; however, the sandwich boards would still go.
“I participated in the [Disability Awareness Starts Here] exercise and was in a wheelchair with my feet straight out in front of me,” said Councilwoman Laurie Medlicott.
“That experience opened my eyes.”
Medlicott said one of the biggest obstacles during the wheelchair experience was the sandwich board signs along the downtown area.
Medlicott said they needed to be removed for public safety.
“I later lived the DASH exercise as my husband’s health was declining,” Medlicott said.
“The signs are not something in any way, shape or form I see to be cute.”
Deputy Mayor George Randels said he agreed with Medlicott but wanted to see what would be done to mitigate the loss in advertising for the businesses.
“Businesses should be able to see a Kiosk prototype before they give up a key part of their advertising,” Randels said.
A $200,000 Preserve America grant was awarded to the city on Jan. 16 to create kiosks in the downtown area.
Council directed staff to compile a prototype for them to look at on April 13.
The kiosks could advertise businesses and mitigate the removal of the sandwich boards.
In July, the City Council heard recommendations from both the Planning Commission and an ad hoc sign committee regarding the number of sandwich boards on the sidewalks.
The council voiced concern that the clutter from the signs caused safety hazards on the sidewalks as it bottle-necked pedestrians.
Also, the council voiced concern over how bad the signs looked.
The catch was that the city has a sign code, but it was suspended in 2004.
“The city put a code into effect and didn’t enforce it,” said City Manager David Timmons at the meeting in July.
“That’s why we’re at where we’re at now.”
City Planner Rick Sepler gave the council an overview of the situation in July as well.
A survey of 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 Farmers Market.
“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.”
Sepler added that the frequency of the signs in the downtown area has prompted some to consider them clutter.
“It’s a very emotional issue,” Sepler said.
“Getting folks in the door isn’t just a challenge. It’s a matter of surviving.”
The council has yet to take any action.
Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
