SEQUIM — The City Council has approved several amendments to city ordinances that will allow more business signs outside of stores, with both business owners and council agreeing that they still are overly restrictive.
The council Monday approved, 4-0, new ordinances that allow signs that are 2 feet by 2 feet — including sandwich board-type signs — to be placed adjacent to storefronts more than 40 feet from the property line for stores located inside a multi-business property, such as a strip mall.
The existing ordinance did not allow for any temporary, sandwich board-type signs in Sequim, except for some sidewalk signs in the downtown “walking corridor.”
That left businesses located in other areas and in strip malls without the ability to post specials near roads, where drivers can see sales and specials offered, business owners argued.
“This is our life. I am not a hobbyist. If I don’t work, I don’t pay my mortgage,” said Karen Kester, owner of Karen’s Quilt Shop, located in a strip mall on West Washington Street.
The quilt shop is located deep inside the shopping center, next door to the Sequim Police Department, and is not obvious from the street.
Kester showed the council a 27-inch-by-18-inch lawn sign she wants to put on the grass divider, with an arrow and the words “Quilt Shop” to direct people into the shopping center.
“This is the terrible sign I can’t put out,” she said.
She asked how people are supposed to see the sign if it is located all the way in the back of the mall.
Four members of the council were present at Monday’s meeting. Erik Erichsen and Laura Dubois were absent, and one seat recently was vacated.
The remaining council members voted unanimously to approve the amendments to allow for more signs.
More leeway
They directed city staff to find a way to allow business owners to have more leeway to place signs.
“I’m in favor of the amendments. If anything, it will help the business owners. Then sit down and see what additional amendments we can make,” said Councilman Ted Miller.
The new amendments should be fast-tracked, Miller said.
Burkett said he was uncertain how that could be done without re-creating the problem that was solved with enforcement of the sign ordinance.
“If there are 20 businesses, there could be 20 signs out there,” said City Manager Steve Burkett.
City staff members testified that before the sign ordinance was enforced, there was a “mess” of signs along the city-owned grass strips between sidewalks and Washington Street.
At one point, the city began receiving complaints from city residents about the signs proliferating on city property, Burkett said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
