SAN FERNANDO : Car Dealers Argue Against Sign Rules

Three of San Fernando’s five used and new car dealers persuaded city officials to consider relaxing proposed rules on banners and streamers, arguing that they need such signs year-round to stay in business.

The dealers, who spoke at a hearing Tuesday before the Planning Commission, argued against a proposal limiting signs to a total of 105 days a year in connection with a new store opening or similar event.

“Nobody wants tattered signs,” said Bill Murphy, who owns Bill Murphy Chevrolet on San Fernando Road, but “we do depend on drive-by traffic for the bulk of our business. It’s real vital to these businesses.”

Eduardo Perez, owner of San Fernando Auto Sales on San Fernando Road, said potential customers might assume a car lot is closed if there is a ban on signs most of the year. “We have to have banners and signs saying we sell cars,” he said.

City officials say complaints about banners and pennants permanently cluttering the skyline prompted a review of the city’s sign ordinance. In addition to placing a time limit on temporary signs such as banners, the proposed changes to the ordinance would eliminate roof signs, regulate materials used for signs and permit permanent window signs.

After hearing from the dealers, commissioners continued the hearing to July 20 to give staff time to check the economic effects that similar sign ordinances have had in other cities. City officials will meet with the dealers to see if they can fashion a compromise.

“We don’t want to do away with them altogether. We just don’t want as many,” Commissioner Robert Quist said.