Signs of the Times - May 2017 - 53

2017,

ISA17_ST-Rpt5_MAY_2CR.qxp 4/5/17 11:54 AM Page 3

'Helpful Throughout the Process'
As a planner with the city of Scottsdale, Ariz.,
Andrew Chi often finds himself walking a fine
line. Scottsdale has one of the most restrictive
sign ordinances in the country, but the city still
wants to be seen as amenable to businesses.
When it came time to make changes to the
sign code, Chi had one goal: to make it more
user friendly. It is a tough challenge, given
the fact that the current sign code is 80
pages long. The sign code revisions have
been over a decade in the making.
The city first tackled the temporary portion
of the sign code, regulating solely on zoning,
size and location. That change would bring it
into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court
ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which said
signs can't be regulated based on content.
Permanent signs are already regulated based
on zoning.
James Carpentier, ISA's director of state and
local government affairs, provided comments
on the changes. But more important were
the resources he offered.
Chi attended a workshop presentation on
developing reasonable sign codes and left
with materials from the Sign Research

Foundation. "Best Practices in Temporary
Signs and The State of Sign Codes After
Reed are right here on my desk," Chi said.
"The publications have been really helpful
throughout the process. Even though the
materials might help a town or city that has
a less restrictive sign code than Scottsdale,
staff used the materials to make sure that
what we were drafting was sufficient and
consistent. Those materials were very helpful."
Providing comments on proposed changes also
has proven invaluable, Chi said. Carpentier has
offered suggestions, as have sign companies.
"It's always valuable input," he said.
Chi believes the end result of the sign code
changes extend beyond being easier to understand. "It is a fine line we have to walk,
but in the end, both Scottsdale residents and
businesses will benefit from the sign code
changes. We want to keep the aesthetics
and character of the city intact by reducing
sign clutter, while providing more signage
flexibility for businesses."
Planners like Haddon and Chi aren't alone.
In the last few years, ISA has worked with
thousands of planners to help their communities
develop reasonable and beneficial sign codes,
creating a true win-win for all involved. |

ISA

Resources

1. New OSHA Regulations
Set to Take Effect

The Occupational Safety & Health
Administration's (OSHA) crane safety
operator requirement takes effect
Nov. 10.
This regulation requires all crane
operators to be certified. Companies
that fail to comply could face shut
downs, civil penalties and potentially
even criminal charges.
ISA is working to help sign companies
learn as much as they can as soon
as they can with an online resource,
including a listing of frequently asked
questions. Two webinars have been
held to help companies get up to
speed. Find all the resources at
www.signs.org/crane.

2. Help for Local Officials

Local officials can learn more
about the sign, graphics and visual
communications industry through
a number of ISA resources, at
www.signs.org/local.

3. SRF: A Valuable Partner

Much of the research that ISA uses
to inform local planners is developed
by the Sign Research Foundation.
SRF has developed a robust library
of information and research that sign,
graphics and visual communications
professionals can use to expand their
own expertise or to share with local
officials. See the research at
www.signresearch.org.

according to the ISA Sign Industry Quarterly Economic Report for the first quarter of 2017. The report shows most sectors are expected to remain strong into 2019. *
WWW.SIGNS.ORG * * *

http://www.signs.org/crane http://www.signs.org/local http://www.signresearch.org http://WWW.SIGNS.ORG

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