Amador County Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a temporary, off-site directional sign ordinance that will allow businesses to capitalize on increased winter traffic and direct business to their doors.
In public comment, Rene Chapman said California Gold Country is a top 10 tourist destination but areas like Ridge Road are “offensive to me” and have “gotten out of hand.” It “just really cheapens what we have” and is “like being in a room when everybody is talking at once. You can’t hear anybody.”
Thornton Consolo said “sensibility needs to be applied because if the law doesn’t include it, it’s permitted,” such as signs or banners on forklifts. He said signs can be a “detriment to the tourist trade and historical value.”
Supervisor Ted Novelli asked if staff thought they needed more public workshops. Planner Cara Augustin said she thought more people would attend Tuesday, but 20 businesses had gone to workshops. Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano pointed out that the last banner workshop had no public in attendance.
Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster appreciated comments from workshops, saying “all of the businesses were there and you can see the frustration. They are hurting right now…. I would rather see signs” than see businesses closed and mall fronts covered up with paper. And if businesses are boarded up, “we are not sending the message that we are trying to help our businesses.”
Supervisor John Plasse said he wanted to clarify previous comments he made, which may have been misconstrued in the media. Plasse said he was not trying to criticize any local business but was only commenting on Sacramento area businesses he had seen that appeared to have ideal locations but still did not do well.
Plasse concurred that he would rather see directional signs than closed and empty storefronts. Novelli agreed, saying he would rather have signs go up than lose businesses.
Boitano said he would like a review of the ordinance in 6 months to a year, to make sure its affects were acceptable. Plasse said he would like to ascertain when the economic decline is over and suggested attaching it to County Sales and Use Tax. The board did so, using $1.25 million as the threshold. Sales and Use Tax totaled just over $1.04 million dollars in 2010-2011, nearing 2005-06 marks, he said.
Supervisors agreed to allow 2x3-foot signs for individual businesses, and up to 16 square feet for up to five businesses. The ordinance sunsets in two years, and permits are $100 a year, renewable, and valid for a year, or until the end of the temporary ordinance, whichever comes first. The Board also directed staff to review the ordinance in six months.
Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a temporary, off-site directional sign ordinance that will allow businesses to capitalize on increased winter traffic and direct business to their doors.
In public comment, Rene Chapman said California Gold Country is a top 10 tourist destination but areas like Ridge Road are “offensive to me” and have “gotten out of hand.” It “just really cheapens what we have” and is “like being in a room when everybody is talking at once. You can’t hear anybody.”
Thornton Consolo said “sensibility needs to be applied because if the law doesn’t include it, it’s permitted,” such as signs or banners on forklifts. He said signs can be a “detriment to the tourist trade and historical value.”
Supervisor Ted Novelli asked if staff thought they needed more public workshops. Planner Cara Augustin said she thought more people would attend Tuesday, but 20 businesses had gone to workshops. Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano pointed out that the last banner workshop had no public in attendance.
Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster appreciated comments from workshops, saying “all of the businesses were there and you can see the frustration. They are hurting right now…. I would rather see signs” than see businesses closed and mall fronts covered up with paper. And if businesses are boarded up, “we are not sending the message that we are trying to help our businesses.”
Supervisor John Plasse said he wanted to clarify previous comments he made, which may have been misconstrued in the media. Plasse said he was not trying to criticize any local business but was only commenting on Sacramento area businesses he had seen that appeared to have ideal locations but still did not do well.
Plasse concurred that he would rather see directional signs than closed and empty storefronts. Novelli agreed, saying he would rather have signs go up than lose businesses.
Boitano said he would like a review of the ordinance in 6 months to a year, to make sure its affects were acceptable. Plasse said he would like to ascertain when the economic decline is over and suggested attaching it to County Sales and Use Tax. The board did so, using $1.25 million as the threshold. Sales and Use Tax totaled just over $1.04 million dollars in 2010-2011, nearing 2005-06 marks, he said.
Supervisors agreed to allow 2x3-foot signs for individual businesses, and up to 16 square feet for up to five businesses. The ordinance sunsets in two years, and permits are $100 a year, renewable, and valid for a year, or until the end of the temporary ordinance, whichever comes first. The Board also directed staff to review the ordinance in six months.
Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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