05/23/1988 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Alan Maxwell, 1246 Spyglass Drive, said he is president of Sunny Service Stations. Mr. Maxwell said he is in opposition to the interim sign code. He said the planned revision is highly restrictive and would not allow Sunny Service Stations to continue to erect signs it has already commenced to build throughout the area. Mr. Maxwell said the company1s problems with the City began a year ago when it took 11 months for the City to approve a sign at the Sunny1s 7th Avenue and Van Buren Street station. He said this compares with sign approval processes that took one to two days in Veneta, Springfield, and Junction City. He said the company has a goal to bring clear, easily visible gasoline price signs to the community. Mr. Maxwell suggested the City delay action on the interim sign code, and consider segregating the gasoline price issue into a separate section. Ronald S. Bergeson, 2560 Frontier Drive, said he is an employee of Sunny Service Stations. He said there has not been adequate time for members of the public to review the interim sign code. He said a draft of the code was scheduled to be available May 13. However, he said he was not able to obtain a copy of the draft until well into the next week. He suggested the council postpone action on the interim sign code until there has been time for staff to gather input from the sign industry. Mr. Bergeson said there are also problems with readerboard requirements in the code as they relate to gasoline price displays required by the State. He said it would be impossible to display gasoline prices in the maximum five ~ square feet allowed under the readerboard provision. Kevin Jones, 1678 West 7th Avenue, said he ;s a local sign contractor and not in favor of the interim sign code. He said it is essential that members of the sign industry be allowed to participate in the creation of interim or permanent sign codes. He said the proposed interim code goes beyond the issue of content and is a IIquick-fix.1I He said it is unreasonable for the council to expect the public to have a good understanding of the interim code when it was not available until the Wednesday before the public hearing. He suggested the council postpone creation of an interim code and establish a committee composed of citizens, City staff, and representatives of the sign industry to review the proposed code and make recommendations. Vernon D. Gleaves, 975 Oak Street, said he represents Obie Outdoor Advertising. He said he agrees with staff in that the Sign Code needs revision. He said he is concerned that the proposed interim ordinance makes substantive changes with reference to billboards. He said the interim ordinance in its current form is more restrictive than the present ordinance. Mr. Gleaves said adoption of the interim ordinance would prohibit loca~ing billboards in those areas where they are designated by the original code. He distributed to the council copies of the interim ordinance that contain proposed amendments to the interim code that he has drafted. He said the proposed amendments would retain strict controls and make the City consistent e MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 23, 1988 Page 5