Crackdown on signs remains low priority
By MAYA MEINERT Special to the Daily Press
DOWNTOWN — All across the city, businesses continue to prop up and put out sandwich board signs, defying a municipal code that bans their use on city sidewalks.
The collapsible, free-standing billboards are utilized by merchants and restaurant owners alike in efforts to corral the passing foot traffic to stop in and spend their money.
However, city officials aren’t sold. According to the Santa Monica Sign Code, the so-called “sandwich boards,” as well as others like animated signs, rooftop signs and freestanding pole signs, are deemed The code, which was first passed in 1992, also cites public health and safety as reasons for banning the signs, found to be “a visual blight on the appearance of the city by detracting from views of structures and open space. This visual blight adversely affects the aesthetic quality of life and traffic safety in Santa Monica for residents, businesses, pedestrians and persons in vehicles,” the code reads.
Businesses that place sandwich board signs on the sidewalks use them in efforts to attract customers. The signs are typically found on less commercial stretches, not major shopping destinations with a run of retail stores, such as the Third Street Promenade. Smaller stores and cafes may not receive as much attention from shoppers, especially if there are not many commercial operations in its immediate vicinity, and tend to rely more on passersby.
Still, the signs are illegal in Santa Monica. “All businesses think they need more to catch [people’s] eyes,” said City Councilman Herb Katz on Friday. “Nobody has gone broke because of a lack of a sign. It’s baloney.
“They’re dangerous,” Katz said. “Having been a father who raised two blind kids, I can tell you they don’t like them. Their canes hit [the signs] and then they just crumple all over them.”
Some exceptions to the municipal code banning the signs exist, such as a sandwich board advertising a going-out-of-business sale outside Tower Records on Santa Monica Boulevard, according to that store’s manager.
Stores can typically get away with using sandwich boards because there are more pressing matters that occupy code enforcers’ time.
“At the top of our list are things that endanger life,” said Tim McCormick, a building officer with the city’s Building and Safety Department, who explained that ensuring that people have heat and hot water, particularly in the winter, and making sure buildings are properly upgraded through a seismic retrofitting program are more of a priority than the signs.
McCormick also said that enforcing the city’s noise ordinance comes first.
“We have staff that are working with all commercial businesses located within 100 feet of residences, particularly those for entertainment and recreation use,” said McCormick. “We want to make sure [patrons and businesses are] respectful of their neighbors.”
“intense.” — and
“ugly”
According to McCormick, code enforcers routinely patrol the city to make sure the public has access to the sidewalk, but that it’s impossible to keep every business in check.
“We’re not standing on every corner of the business district,” he said.
Katz admitted the sign crackdown is low on the priority list, but that doesn’t mean the city is turning a blind eye.
“If someone complains,we’ll take care of it,” Katz said.“It takes time... we’re getting there.”
A year ago, code enforcement was understaffed. Those vacancies have since been filled, and staff has been fully trained, according to McCormick. But that doesn’t fix everything.
“We’re a part of the organization that has to compete for the city’s budget,” he said. “This city has made a substantial dedication for code enforcement, and we’re doing everything in our power with those 10 people.”
Wild About Music, a store on the 1400 block of Second Street, had a sandwich board sign sitting on the sidewalk just outside its door on Thursday afternoon. Next door, the restaurant Buca di Peppo had three signs out front. Ironically, a Santa Monica Police station is located directly across the street.
Wild About Music co-owner Fred Schmidt said he has never had anyone tell him that he can’t have his sign on the sidewalk.
“Nobody has ever complained about it,” he said.“This is a 12-foot sidewalk — it’s not in anybody’s way. This ordinance doesn’t benefit anybody.
“The boards are very, very important to try to help attract business to dead parts of the street, to attract the eye,” Schmidt said. “The city has greater priorities, like sleeping, urinating and defecating in doorways. Transiency is the single biggest issue that keeps Santa Monica from being a really welcoming place, and this is coming from a homeless advocate.”
McCormick said that when code enforcers do catch a sandwich board on the sidewalk, they will give a warning before they give a citation. But if the offender continues to put the board out, the business will be fined.
Schmidt at Wild About Music is undaunted, saying on Thursday that he would not be deterred from using his sign.
“I’ll continue to put it out,” he said. “If they start citing and fining me, then I’ll look for another city to take my business to.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 2, 2006. Read the original PDF.