Results tagged “Signage”

I traveled through time last night, driving along Ogden Avenue in Naperville. I started my trip heading westbound at Naper Boulevard. According to the digital readerboard at the CVS the time was 7:06 and it was 79 degrees. A mile west, 7:02 (and a degree cooler) courtesy of Dick Portillo. I contemplated heading to Yorkville to play the previous night's lotto, but once I reached Washington Street, a local bank reported it was 7:13 - the future, which by the way, is warmer...80 degrees.

Time Travel Theory 1
A wormhole exists along a section of Ogden Avenue and the micro-climates throughout the corridor may hold the key to global warming.

Time Travel Theory 2
The Vegasification of Ogden Avenue and its cheap "Lite-Brite" like signs don't sync with a World Clock and have differing thermostats.

I'm skeptical about the need for LED readerboard signs. Forget about the fact that the resolution of these things is circa 1980. I don't think they are needed, not all of them anyway. A bank for instance, does not need a sign with current mortgage rates. Nobody is driving their car looking for low mortgage rates, and besides, your rates are the same as everyone else's - low. Portillo's...seriously, "Enjoy a Milk Shake".... this is why you wanted a sign, to get $2.35?

If I'm wrong, and a business is a blown fuse away from bankruptcy and this sign is so badly needed, we don't need the time or the temperature. My estimate is about 99.9% of the cars on the road have clocks in them, and about 99.9% of the drivers have cell phones that tell time -  - we know what time it is. The same goes for the temperature. Plus we can look out our windshields, or better yet, roll down a window. If you are looking to do a public service, then promote a community event. The Arcada Theatre in Downtown St. Charles is promoting our August 31st Community Workshop on their marquess (and a theatre I might add, is a business that makes a good case for a readerboard sign).

I think communities are overreacting to the "need" for these signs. We are in a recession, and everybody is doing a little less business. Compromising the appearance of our commercial areas to inundate motorists with useless information is not the solution. I would argue in the case of Ogden Avenue in Naperville, that if instead of  more signs, these businesses spent a little more money on landscaping and improved the appearance and atmosphere of the corridor, Ogden would be a representative of Naperville and it would attract more business.

As the saying goes, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  While the type and amount of commercial uses desired vary from community from community, the bottom line is the same: a community cannot thrive without businesses.   Residents enjoy having goods and services available nearby and municipalities benefit from the diversified tax base.  This list of questions can help staff, boards and individuals determine whether they are truly business-friendly. 

1.       Does your community have a clear vision? Does it specify the type, amount and location desired for commercial uses?

If not, it might be time to update your comprehensive plan.  The comprehensive plan is a road map for decision-making.  It accomplishes this by establishing a clear vision, developing guiding principles and identifying areas appropriate for certain types of land uses.

2.       Are your codes and regulations up to date and easy to understand?

If the answer is no, the time is right to review and revise your zoning ordinance and related regulatory documents.  In the recent real estate boom, many communities found themselves amending their ordinance to fast track desirable developments.  This piecemeal approach almost always has unintended consequences that can become difficult for enforcement and may even lead to lawsuits that would have been otherwise avoidable.

The current economic climate is an ideal time to take stock of the state of your community's codes and regulations in order to ensure that they reflect current goals and objectives. 

3.       Does your sign code balance aesthetics with businesses' need for identification?

The law clearly allows the regulation of signage by a municipality. 

4.       Is the approval process seen as fair and efficient?

Whether an applicant seeking development review, a business renewing a permit or an inquisitive neighbor, the approval process should be clear and easy to understand for all involved.  Th

5.       Does your community provide any incentives for business relocation or expansion?

Long term stability in the commercial sector requires both business attraction and business retention efforts.  Incentives for both range in scale and cost. 

6.       Do you have an active chamber or business association?

Municipalities don't have to do it alone!  Your best partner is an active organization who can assist with or lead efforts to attract and retain businesses.

 

Successful business attraction and retention starts with a plan and ends with implementation (although it never really ends, does it?)