FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Firms Near Freeway Can Increase Signage

More signs will be allowed on buildings for better visibility and identification of businesses along the San Diego Freeway.

With the city attracting volume retailers such as Sportmart and Fry’s Electronics, there was a need to change the city’s sign code to accommodate their businesses, said Andrew Perea, planning services manager.

“Because of the economic times, the city is trying to be responsive to the business community,” Perea said.

The City Council recently approved changes to sign regulations, allowing signage that is more in proportion with size of the building.

For example, under the new regulations, Sportmart will be allowed up to 472 square feet of signage on the building instead of 150 square feet permitted under the old rules, Perea said.

Perea said the new retail businesses with large, free-standing buildings were requesting variances to erect their signs.

“Rather than have them apply for a variance, we decided we should amend the code to meet their needs,” he said.

“We want to remain competitive with other cities, and we want to make sure we don’t lose business because of over-restrictive sign regulations.”

The new sign regulations go into effect in January.

Councilman John Collins said the visibility of businesses is important to generate sales, which in turn brings more sales tax revenue to the city.

“If we didn’t have larger retailer businesses, we would be in bad economic straits,” Collins said. “There is no other way to raise money. The only real avenue to increase general-fund money is through sales taxes.”

Other revisions to the sign code included increasing the height of monument signs along the freeway from eight feet to 20 feet and permitting up to 200 square feet of sign face.

Perea said an eight-foot monument sign along the freeway would be useless because it can’t be seen by those in high-speed traffic.

Despite the changes, electronic reader boards still won’t be allowed, and temporary banner signs will be permitted for up to 120 days a year instead of the current 240 days a year.

Perea said banners are supposed to help businesses promote special events, but some merchants keep the banners longer than allowed.