COW Quick Story: A-Frame Signs Get Thumbs Up, Sign Ordinance as a Whole Postponed

A-frame signs will be allowed but regulated, if the City Council OKs the recommendation made Monday night by Committee of Whole.

But aldermen will take another two weeks to address other major changes to the city's sign ordinance.

The —sometimes called sandwich-board signs—have been a. The Geneva Plan Commission had recommended that the signs be eliminated as a legal use.

Presently, A-frame signs are allowed for restaurants, but other businesses have started using them, as well, either to advertise daily deals or to point out direction to businesses that are off of a main throughfare.

City staff came up with a number of provisions under which A-frame signs would be allowed:

• An establishment may have no more than one A-frame sign.
• Signs shall not exceed 4 feet in height as measured from the ground to the top of the sign once set up. Shall have no sign panel in excess on 6 square feet in area.
• They shall be located no further than 1 foot from the primary frontage property line of the displaying establishment.
• Additionally, businesses located on lots that don’t have frontage on Third Street or State Street may place one directional A-Frame Sign at the corner near the business.
• The signs shall only be displayed during the displaying establishment’s hours of operation.
• They shall not be permanently anchored to the ground.
• They shall not be illuminated.
• They shall not be displayed during times of inclement weather such as high winds, heavy rain or snow.
• They shall not be placed so as to block private driveways, alleys, or walkways.
• They shall be permitted to be located on a public sidewalk, provided that the sign complies with the following: a. The sign shall be located within 1 foot of the displaying establishment’s primary frontage property line.
• There shall be no less than 5 feet of unobstructed sidewalk between the street curb and the primary frontage property line.
• The sign shall comply with the insurance requirements (proof of liability insurance or indemnity bond—naming the city as additionally insured—waiver of liability.
• The displaying establishment shall apply for a permit on an annual (fiscal year) basis.
• Sign messages may be changed daily or whenever needed, and may include shop specials/pricing, identification of the business, menus for restaurants, and any other information pertinent to the business
• If the business violates the above regulations, the third violation shall mean revocation of the sign permit.

"I still think they’re charming," Mayor Kevin Burns said. "I like them."

City staff did add one caveat.

"In order to monitor, inspect permit, we’re going to have to hire at least a part-time person to keep up with it," City Administrator Mary McKittrick told the COW.

The A-frame sign changes were proposed by staff as part of a comprehensive amendment of the city sign code. At one point in the meeting, the COW voted 5-4 to reject the code amendments—other than the A-frame signs.

But later in the meeting, that vote was rescinded in favor of making some changes that will be discussed at the next COW meeting, in two weeks.