Amador County – Amador County Supervisors discussed a temporary sign ordinance Tuesday, which likely will have each Supervisor give individual input to the Planning Commission on what they want.

County Planner Cara Augustin introduced a draft sign ordinance created by staff after Supervisors received a request from Strings Restaurant owner Sharon Cassella for a permit for a temporary, off-site sign to direct traffic from Highway 49 to Highway 88. Cassella sited economic hard times as the need. Augustin said the Land Use Committee and Planning Commission recommended the draft ordinance for consideration.

Augustin suggested having one directional sign per corner, with five name plates and a limit of two signs per business. She said “you would have businesses coming together to get that sign.”

Supervisor Louis Boitano said “people say we are not doing enough to help” and “this helps businesses.” He liked its suggested 2-year sunset clause.

Supervisor Richard Forster said he has heard some businesses say “one or two people a day might make a difference on whether or not they make a profit.”

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse asked who would say when an economic decline is over. He said he has seen businesses prosper and others fail in great locations and it was not about economic times, but business management. He said it sets up businesses to argue that the “decline is not over and I need this sign.”

Augustin said the sunset clause would allow Supervisors to determine whether the economic decline was still around after two years.

Supervisor Ted Novelli said: “I am not for more government, but I am for signs that you can read.” He said some county signs are unreadable from lettering size, or vegetation overgrowth. Boitano and Novelli said it should be up to businesses to maintain signs.

Forster said 6-inch letters, recently required for Amador Vintners Association signs, would mean 10-foot signs with this ordinance. Augustin said the Vintners’ 6-inch letters were required for road sign readability. Supervisor Brian Oneto said besides the name, the sign should say the type of business.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.