By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The City of Burlington has made it easier for businesses to put up temporary signs.
Now, the hope is that businesses will actually follow the rules and use the permit process.
By unanimous vote – and after four different amendments were approved – the Common Council unanimously approved a new ordinance for temporary signs in the city.
The changes:
• Inflatable advertising devices or signs will be allowed up to 12 times per year, for a period of 10 consecutive days in a one-month period.
• Murals that have been reviewed and approved by the Common Council, Plan Commission and Zoning Administrator will be allowed.
• Temporary sign time limits are for 10 consecutive days in a one-month period, and portable signs for 10 consecutive days in a one-month period.
• Sandwich boards will be allowed anywhere within the city.
• Temporary signs will be dated with an indelible marker indicating the first day of the usage period.
The city put a new annual permit fee of $140 in place as well. That is in contrast to the $35 per-use fee.
It took a while Tuesday night to get through the ordinance, however. At the public hearing, a number of business owners and employees expressed concerns about the new ordinance.
First up was Judy Bratz, who runs the Hope Walk each year and wanted to know if they’d be required to pay fees. Mayor Bob Miller said city staff would soon be drafting a sign ordinance specifically for legitimate non-profit organizations.
Business owners who would be affected by the ordinance were next, and main worry seemed to be enforcement.
“The way it’s written, I don’t know how we’re going to enforce that,” said Bob Lois of Lois Tire Shop. City Building Inspector Pat Scherrer said they would enforce the ordinance “the best we can,” and Alderman Bob Prailes stressed the changed ordinance would give the city “an opportunity to go and do something about it.”
Mayor Bob Miller also stressed that the changes would allow more freedom.
Chris Vos of Performance Tire and Auto commented, however, that the only people who were following the current temporary sign ordinance were those who were conscientious anyhow, and that without enforcement, people weren’t going to obey.
“It’s exactly the wrong message we want to send,” replied Alderman Tom Preusker, at which point City Administrator Kevin Lahner said that illustrated the need for a revised ordinance.
When the discussion moved out of the public hearing and into the ordinance adoption, Preusker proposed a number of amendments that addressed longer periods for the signs to remain up and more times per year those signs would be allowed.
After going back and forth for several minutes on just how to amend the ordinance and whether the council should amend it or table it for further discussion, Preusker sat down and outlined the breadth of the changes – which were adopted in the final ordinance.
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