hwy24signs2.jpgHow do you feel about the signage of our town? Are you a business owner that depends on your sign for a large part of your business? Are you concerned about the look and feel of our town to a visitor passing through? What is the historical value of signs, and how old do they have to be before being considered part of our heritage? Address these questions and more at two upcoming town meetings where the public is invited to review the draft sign code and comment on it.

“The sign code is a part of the overall effort to beautify and clean up the town as a whole,” says Planning and Zoning Chairwoman, Evelyn Baker. Town Planner, Bev Kaiser, has worked to review examples of other local and national sign codes and then draw from them for standards appropriate for Buena Vista in the creation of the draft sign code. The Town Planning and Zoning committee has subsequently spent several meetings reviewing the draft step by step.

Elements of the draft include sandwich boards being prohibited, off-premise signage restricted, and garage sale signs, banners, and flags other than national and state flags being limited. According to Baker, “If people really want to be heard they need to attend these meetings. The [P&Z] board encourages people to come out because we want input from businesses and community members as we know it will effect people.” After the two public input meetings, the P&Z board will review the comments and make adjustments to the code. From there it will be sent to the Town Board of Trustees for approval.

If you are new to considering the issues surrounding sign codes, there is much that can be learned from other towns who have gone through the same process. For example, a recently approved sign code in Morrison, Colorado has brought about some controversy over a sign in front of the Morrison Holiday Bar. A December 2007 article posted by the owner of the bar states, “The sign, which has been flashing and welcoming local townsfolk and passers-by into the popular watering hole for over 50 years, has now been ordered out to pasture.” The post is followed by an interesting discussion thread.

Pagosa Springs is another small Colorado mountain town that is currently working on updating their sign code. An editorial written by Bill Hudson, a sign painter of 15 years offers his own perspective on the issue:

“A dozen signs of poor quality, plastered all over the outside of a business, do not necessarily generate more business than one high quality sign, properly placed and, ideally, enhanced with landscaping.”

Both meetings will be in the Pinon Room at the Buena Vista Community Center and will take place on Saturday, April 26 from 9-11am and on Monday, April 28 from 7-9pm.

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