News
Hundreds Pay Respects to King

Three Trails in 30 Years

Around the Area

Briefs

Range of Projects Displayed at Expo

Estancia Teen Gets Worldwide Education

CNM To Offer Courses in Edgewood

DWI Memorial Needs Help To Stay Open

Bidding Process To Start on Arts Center

Mother of 5 Arrested in Fatal Stabbing

More
News

HOME	CLASSIFIEDS	OBITUARIES	SPORTS	OPINION

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Sign Law Attracts Frustration

By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
    Business owners in Edgewood say they are losing money, and fast, due to the town's sign ordinance.
    About 40 business owners and Edgewood residents gathered at the Edgewood Community Center on Monday night to discuss the ordinance, along with the Edgewood Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and members of the town staff.
    Raymond Seagers said the current ordinance is doing harm to the town.
    "We don't need a 34-page sign ordinance," he said.
    Councilor Chuck Ring said local businesses have had issues with the sign ordinance for some time. Roughly a year ago, Seagers, a real estate broker, was asked by the council to propose changes to the current ordinance.
    Seagers said he worked with a committee of Edgewood businesses to change the ordinance into something businesses could accept.
    "It (the ordinance) is totally out of kilter," Seagers said. "Finally we said 'This thing is horrible.' ''
    Harlan Lawson, who owns the NAPA auto parts store on Old Route 66 west of N.M. 344, agreed with Seagers.
    "We could not make the current ordinance work for the needs of the community," he said.
    The ordinance limits off-site signs, which Seagers said limits a business's exposure to potential customers. In addition, the size and type of signs at any business are also limited.
    "You can see the urgency here," Seagers said. "We're in the Christmas season."
    Jerry Gevedon, an owner of DJ's Doghouse on N.M. 344 and Dinkle Road, said he's been in business for nearly a year and still has people from the area come in saying they'd never seen his store before.
    To solve those problems, Seagers presented a draft of a new ordinance that would allow signs to be displayed on multiple sides of buildings.
    Businesses facing Old Route 66 to the south and Interstate 40 to the north would benefit, Seagers said.
    There was also discussion of informational kiosks placed at street corners that would have signs pointing the way to local businesses.
    Town Councilor Brad Hill cautioned that there is a balance between making businesses visible and having a community that isn't cluttered with advertisements.
    "I feel the frustration (from business owners)," Hill said.
    Hill is working on building a subdivision of environmentally friendly houses in Edgewood.
    "For me to make money in this town, I need to attract people who want to live in this town ... there needs to be some thought to aesthetics," he said.
    Marcus Rael, the town's attorney, also said the proposed ordinance does not comply with existing laws and should be revised. He said the ordinance needs to "track with state law, into what is legally allowable."
    Rael added that, until necessary changes were made to the proposed ordinance, he could not recommend it be adopted by the town council.
    It was suggested that a committee be appointed by Mayor Howard Calkins, at the Wednesday meeting of the Edgewood Town Council, to revise the draft and meet with the town attorney.
    When the crowd was told that, as a point of procedure, the committee could not be appointed at Monday's meeting, there was a rumbling.
    "I want a bodyguard," Calkins said.
    Ring said he would also request a moratorium on sign ordinance enforcement for a time, while the current ordinance is reviewed.