Fate of sign, a local landmark, in limbo

No one knows exactly when the pole sign in front of La Cañada Imports Pizza and Deli was first erected, but one thing is certain — having been built in the city’s public right-of-way, it has to go.

Or does it?

The fate of the local landmark was up for discussion Monday night, when members of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council heard an appeal from Bernard Shih, representing landlord Lacy Park Real Estate Investment, against an April 15 decision by the Public Works and Traffic Commission.

When Shih’s company bought the property in October 2014, employees were told by the previous owners the pole sign and a low wall and pilaster into which it was set had been cited as code violations.

Shih petitioned Public Works Director Edward Hitti for an encroachment agreement that would let the sign remain standing, but was told right-of-way is sacrosanct and that Lacy Park had to remove the structure.

Dissatisfied, Shih appealed to the Public Works and Traffic Commission, which upheld Hitti’s earlier judgment and ordered the sign be removed within 30 days. Believing the sign to be an important aesthetic and safety feature for the corner lot, the company opted to have the case heard Monday by the City Council.

“The director of public works agreed there’s no safety issues, there’s no health issues and there’s no traffic issues,” Shih said. “We’re open to any solution that would allow us to keep the pole sign that’s been there for 40 years, but would also meet the city’s requirement.”

La Cañada’s code enforcement officer discovered the violation when a lot survey of neighboring 7-Eleven, at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Alta Canyada Road, revealed that the right-of-way on Foothill’s north side bowed toward Alta Canyada, instead of meeting it perpendicularly.

So while the 7-Eleven sign is on private property, the La Cañada Imports sign, about 35 feet or so due west, is not.

“What we’re discussing tonight is the pizza shop sign — that’s the sign that’s in the public right-of-way, and that’s the sign that has never been approved by public works or the city,” Hitti explained. “Based on the city ordinance, or municipal code, (Mr. Shih’s) request was denied.”

Hitti said while the sign, wall and pilaster would have to be removed, the box hedge planted there, not being a permanent structure, could remain as a parking lot border. He suggested La Cañada Imports ask its name to be added to the 7-Eleven sign, as is commonly done in strip malls.

Bill Kerimo, current owner of La Cañada Imports, said the pole sign is critical to his business, especially since the site’s location prevents him from taking advantage of city lighting, signing and streetscaping offered to other downtown businesses.

“I don’t have the opportunity to do that (for) my business,” he told the council. “So if you guys want to remove this pole sign, I don’t know what’s going to happen to my business, honestly.”

The council weighed the value of acting in accordance with the city’s broader efforts to remove pole signs in favor of lower monument signs more in keeping with the city’s aesthetic. Councilmen Mike Davitt and Len Pieroni said they’d consider granting an encroachment permit, since the sign has been there for so long and demanding removal would be punitive toward the business.

“I think it’s in character with the rest of the neighborhood,” Pieroni said. “I’m a little bit mixed on this one, but at this point, I don’t think I would support the city’s recommendations.”

City Manager Mark Alexander reminded council members that deciding to keep the sign might set a precedent and would be a departure from direction given by previous councils, who were adamant about eliminating pole signs. Mayor Dave Spence agreed.

“We have a situation here which I’m very concerned about,” Spence said about the right-of-way. “If somebody gets hurt, the first thing they’re going to do is sue the city. Now that we know it’s there, we need to get rid of it.”

Councilwoman Terry Walker and Mayor Pro Tem Jon Curtis encouraged Shih to work with the city to replace the pole sign with a monument sign, and cited a grant program that would aid in its removal and replacement.

The council decided to continue the matter during its July 6 meeting, to allow Shih and Kerimo time to consult with 7-Eleven and city staff about their options. The pole sign will be allowed to remain standing in the interim, they stipulated.

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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine