Public hearings planned in October, November
posted Aug 19, 2008 - 10:40:07am
In one of its rare split votes Aug. 18, the DeLand City Commission moved to allow nonconforming signs, like the one at Won Lee Chinese Restaurant, to remain standing for a few more years.
Earlier, the city told businesses they had until May 17, 2009, to tear down or remodel signs that don't conform with a sign ordinance passed in 1999.
Won Lee co-owner Seamus Poon complained, sparking a debate about whether some landmark signs are worthy of special protection.
Commissioners didn't grant special protection, but in a 3-to-2 vote Monday, they agreed to amend the sign ordinance to add a longer grace period.
Eight people attended the City Commission meeting to plead with commissioners for some sort of exception for special signs, like the one at Won Lee that has stood sentinel over North Woodland Boulevard for more than four decades.
"It's a beacon when you come up from the south to North Woodland Boulevard," Florence Bellini told the commission.
Tracey Fritzinger has lived in DeLand since she was 5 years old. When she went away to college, the city's older, unusual signs stood like touchstones for her return, she said.
"When you move away and come home, it's very comforting to see that that sign is still there to remind you that you're home," Fritzinger said.
DeLand resident Steve James has similar regard for the familiar landmarks.
"When you come back to town, the things you see give you a warm feeling," James told commissioners. "It's things like the Won Lee sign and the Holiday House sign; it lets you know that you're home."
Holiday House, Red Barn Drive-Thru and Gram's Kitchen are among businesses, like Won Lee, whose signs aren't in line with the law.
Attorney Tanner Andrews was among speakers who warned the City Commission against divesting DeLand of its special character.
"There's no need for DeLand to look like every other city," Andrews said. He argued that regulation of the design and color of business signs is hardly part of the city's core mission to protect the "health, safety and welfare" of the citizenry.
Among the five commissioners, the argument for preserving special signs resonated only with Leigh Matusick.
She talked about the Westgate Plaza sign on West New York Avenue at Stone Street. When Matusick was a child, the tall sign featured a cowboy twirling a lasso; it has since been replaced.
"Every time I saw that sign, I knew I was two blocks from my grandmother's house," Matusick said. "These things give us character."
Matusick pointed out that owners of buildings 50 years old or older need special permission from the City Commission to tear them down, but that the city is forcing the destruction of similarly historic signs.
City Commissioner Charles Paiva, however, worried about the fairness to business owners who have already complied with the new sign law. He also noted not all old signs are charming.
"Some of these signs that bring on nostalgia aren't the best maintained," said Paiva, who was born in DeLand in 1975. He added, "I certainly have as much nostalgia and concern for the business owners as Commissioner Matusick. I'm just trying to be fair."
Commissioner Phil Martin had no patience with business owners who've known for years they needed to bring their signs into compliance with the new law, yet did nothing.
"Over nine years, plenty of businesses have had to go by the rules that were established," Martin said. "We had some very creative leaders nine years ago that made this decision to move our community forward."
Backpedaling now, Martin said, would be a mistake.
Ultimately, the commission voted to extend the grace period to at least 2013. Matusick and Martin voted against the extension, Martin because he wanted to hold the line with the current law, and Matusick because she wanted an exemption for special or historic signs, not an extension.
Commissioners will formally consider adding the extension to the sign ordinance at two future City Commission meetings, probably in October and November. There will be an opportunity for public comment at those meetings.
Reader Comments
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Barb Shepherd
I am amazed that our city bureaucrats have the time to go out and find signs that are too large, too ugly, or simply the wrong color. I guess they have handled the real problems if they are down to this.
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