After weeks of tinkering and tweaking, the county’s first-ever sign ordinance is ready for a public airing.
The Rowan County Planning Board made a few final changes and took care of at least one oversight during a meeting Monday evening.
The final draft that will be aired on Oct. 22 is far less stringent than the original version outlined by county planners and favored by some county commissioners.
Spacing of new billboards would go from 500 feet to 1,000.
Convenience stores and other businesses will face a bevy of rules on total sign space and where they can go. However, the regulations in the final draft are far more flexible than the original version.
The ordinance sets limits on political signs, specifying they can’t be put up prior to 45 days before an election. Signs must be removed 15 days after the election or the candidate faces fines for violations.
Board member Terry Hill quickly pointed out that a large “Liddy Dole for U.S. Senate” sign on Union Church Road would be in violation. The GOP primary is more than 200 days away.
Throughout the discussions, Planning Board members have been sympathetic to the county planning staff, trying to avoid turning them into a bedraggled sign squad scurrying about the county tearing down signs and writing tickets.
During a nearly two-hour workshop Monday evening and later in the regular board meeting, the board’s more conservative element gained ground.
On several issues, Art Steinberg, one of the more liberal members, switched sides. Steinberg at one point argued against creating an “aesthetics police,” wanting to drop a requirement that signs be in “good structural and aesthetic condition.”
Board member Greg Childs cited old signs used at some places such as Gary’s Barbecue, where they may have chipped paint or broken plastic. Childs said that’s part of the mystique, and the county should not interfere with it.
Steinberg won the first round, limiting the wording to requiring signs be maintained in good structural condition.
Later on a split vote, the board added back the requirements about paint, lights and aesthetics.
Almost as an after thought, board member Edwin Hammill asked about banners used in Gold Hill to promote special community events.
Quickly scouring the ordinance, planners and board members agreed that a banner spanning streets with huge lettering would likely be illegal under the proposed ordinance.
Hill suggested adding to the ordinance an exemption for temporary signs for non-profit and community events.
The board tentatively suggested a limit of 100 square feet per sign.
Taking a last look over the six-page ordinance, Childs saw an apparent contradiction. At one point, the ordinance limited any business along Interstate 85 to one sign with a maximum height of 100 feet.
At another point, the ordinance allows each business adjacent to I-85 to have two pylon signs. The board quickly agreed to nix the one-sign requirement.
The Planning Board appeared ready to send the ordinance directly to the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, but county commission Vice Chairman Gus Andrews asked if the board planned to hold a public hearing.
At that point, the board unanimously agreed to hold a public hearing at the October meeting, prior to sending the ordinance to county commissioners.
Contact Jessie Burchette at jburchette@salisburypost.com
or call 704-797-4254.
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