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Changes to controversial sign ordinance called for
Momentum is building to change Loudoun’s exterior sign regulation, widely considered among the business community to be too rigid and complicated.“If there is one unifying issue among business owners in Loudoun, it’s that sign ordinance,” said Tony Howard, president and CEO of Loudoun's Chamber of Commerce. “It’s unnecessarily strict. And it’s unnecessarily confusing.
“I worked for the Fairfax Chamber for seven years and [Fairfax's sign ordinance] never came up,” he added. “Now two years in Loudoun, I have probably had this conversation a hundred times.”
Loudoun first enacted a sign regulation in 1942 to combat the proliferation of large billboards that began popping up across the country.
Today, the regulation that governs the placement, size and type of signs allowed in Loudoun takes up 17 pages of Loudoun’s encyclopedia-like Zoning Ordinance. County inspectors hand out about 15 to 20 sign violation notices a year. Prior to 2004, when the county had an inspector assigned solely to sign enforcement, that number was in the hundreds, according to Keith Fairfax, Loudoun’s zoning enforcement manager.
Among businesses’ chief complaints of the sign ordinance is that it’s overly complicated and limits the size of signs that can be attached to buildings.
"Big signs don't always look bad," said Russell Gestl, executive vice president of Buchanan Partners, a commercial developer. “I know of at least three major tenants that backed out of leases because of the sign ordinance.”
Gestl is a member of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission, which in January passed a resolution suggesting a slew of changes to the ordinance to make it less rigid and more business-friendly.
County supervisors are aware of businesses’ concerns. Last summer, they added to their strategic plan a promise to re-examine and possibly make changes to the ordinance. No date has yet been set on when this will happen, though.
“I do support changes to the sign ordinance for the commercial areas,” said Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run), chairwoman of the board’s economic development committee. “It would really help with business prospects. We’ve heard from a number of businesses over the years that our sign limitations are a factor in their decision to relocate here.”
Howard said sign visibility is key to attracting customers for most businesses. He said when the ordinance issue does make it to the county’s board, the Chamber will be there to lobby to get it changed.
“Clearly, this ordinance was written by someone who does not have to make payroll or sell products,” he said. “Las Vegas-style signs in Loudoun are not what we want. But changes to the sign ordinance are needed.”
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
Lots of unemployed folks out there...Maybe they could stand by the side of the road and hold signs.
That looks much better!
Posted by loudounXpress
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We ar ein a recession and we need to attract jobs to our county and Lori Waters wants to further impede businesses from coming to Loudoun County. When we are facing a budget defecit, does it make sense to keep businesses out and chase away current businesses??? Another Watersism at its best!!!
Posted by disgustedtaxpayer
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