Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 51

that city requires a rigid framework
around any non-self-supporting
materials that are to be proposed
for, or qualify as, a permanent sign.
I learned of the ordinance while
reading a sign-frame manufacturer's
press release that announced its (or
others') framing products were necessary in Greenville because of such
requirements.
I was impressed with the code's
explicit definition: "Non-self-supporting materials," because the term
incorporates much more meaning
than, say, "fabric," "banner" or "flexible face." It's a great term, right?
Non-self-supporting materials? It
describes every pliable signface -
fabric, flexible vinyl, paper, canvas,
Moroccan tapestry wall hangings
used for commercial messaging, or
other lissome materials that would
be permanently attached to, say,
a brick wall and therefore, require
a type of permanent framework
to survive the elements and look
respectable.
I telephoned Domini Cunningham,
Greenville's planner 1, zoning enforcement officer and chief handler of sign
ordinances, permits, temporary sign
applications, zoning complaints and
sign certification letters - and asked
about the framework requirement.
I said, "As I read it, that ordinance
applies to types of printed, flexible
materials being used for signfaces,
right? Like, you can't just print a
flexible sign and nail it to a wall and
call it permanent, right?"
As planners and zoners must,
Cunningham is accustomed to
speaking legalese; therefore, and
somewhat reticently, he said, "The

PHOTOS BY LI CUEVAS

city code requires a supporting
framework if a signface comprises
'non-self-supporting materials' and
is to qualify as a permanent sign." I
asked about temporary banners, or
flags and, expectedly, he said they fall
under a separate rule set.
The manufacturer's ad said banner
frames provide a great opportunity
to show clients how to take vinyl
banners to another level - and I agree.
A wall-mounted, easy-change frame,
similar to the poster frames found
in movie theaters, provides a permanent location for new posters,
fabric-faced signs or other printed
information. Best is that you could
sell a complete package, the frames,
installation and an ongoing contract
for fabric printing. You can also bypass
the print and fabrication process by
ordering printed fabric signs - or
banners or flags - online, from such

enterprises as the United States Flag
Store, which offers every flag possible,
including advertising types; or
flagandbanner.com, which, in addition, offers installation advice on its
website. Classic examples include
the carnival flags on Kissel Entertainment's Monkey Maze or perhaps
the more regal banner set displayed
on the Univ. of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill's Memorial Hall. The
benefit of such banners and flags is
that they are easy to print and fabricate - or online order - as are the
street flags or church-type banners.
For example, Josh Clark, the signshop
manager for the UNC-Chapel Hill
campus, has a 64-in.-wide Roland
VersaCam on hand, but says the college contracts outside for specialized
fabric printing. "This shop has just
me," Clark said, "so we sometimes
need extra help from outside."
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