Newspaper Page Text
THE ISLANDER, AUGUST 31, 2009, PAGE 5
Mayor to run again
Continued from Page 1
for. We look at the consequences but at
the end of the day we have to realize
we represent the people of the City,"
he said.
In a Friday telephone interview with
The Islander Thompson previewed the
the I street situation which is on the
City's Wednesday, Sept. 2 meeting
agenda.
Thompson said the City Commission
would refuse to give up the portion of I
Street that the county needs to expand
the jail at the downtown location.
The City had previously informally
agreed to turn over a portion of I Street
to the County if the County was able
to purchase all the property it needed
for the jail and if the County would
reopen the portion of H Street that is
closed between Reynolds and New
castle Streets.
A portion of the property that the
County is trying to purchase for the
jail expansion is still in litigation at
the Appeals Court level and opening
the portion of H Street between Reyn
olds and Newcastle has never been
discussed at a County Commission
meeting. □
Calendar
Sign ordinance
Continued from Page 1
tricts.
The illegal oversized signs are
prohibited if their total size is over
40 square feet.
After some initial resistance from
the businesses, the county decided
to meet with the owners to discuss
the sign ordinance and possible solu
tions.
The groups met at 10 a.m. Wednes
day, August 26 and again at 4 p.m.
on Thursday, August 27. Both times
at the Demere Fire Station #2 on St.
Simons.
In his opening comments, Coun
ty Administrator Charles Stewart
said, "This is the ordinance local
politicians adopted. It's not just their
ordinance and this isn't just their
community, it's your ordinance and
community. The common connection
is the ambiance of the island that
we all want to preserve. We don't
want to prohibit signs, but we do
want to manage the way they are
displayed."
"What are we doing now? Well,
we know there is no perfect answer.
This is a self-correcting type of ordi
nance that was hammered out over
the years," said Stewart, "But in
recent years there has not been a
lot of enforcement of it. There are
six slots in the Code Enforcement
department and only five are filled.
And they have a number of other
things to work on, not just sign ordi
nance violations."
"Today we are here to inform you
about the sign ordinance and get
your input," Stewart concluded.
Community Development Director
David Hainley then went through a
review of the key portions of the Sign
Ordinance that they were dealing
with that day - portable signs, real
estate signs, banners and prohibited
signs.
Hainley pointed out that the coun
ty sign ordinance first appears in
the county's 1929 ordinance, with
today's modern version enacted in
1966. The last update was in Novem
ber 2007, so the ordinance is nothing
new said Hainley.
Hainley also noted that contrary
to current rumors, the section of the
sign ordinance pertaining to por
table signs was not changed in the
2007 update.
"The impetus for the 2007 update,"
explained Hainley, "was the Goasis
sign at 1-95. It was a big, very bright
sign that raised issues. It was new
technology and that raised the need
for us to update the ordinance to
keep up with the new technology."
Hainley said the purpose of the
sign ordinance was to improve over
all aesthetics and to promote traffic
safety.
After the presentation Hainley
accepted questions.
The first was about the 'A' frame-
sandwich board signs and where
they can be located.
Pointing out they are illegal
because they are portable, Hainley
said the county could not permit the
real estate businesses to have them
and still exclude other businesses
from using them.
"We cannot make a specific style
of sign exclusive to a certain busi
ness," said Hainley.
Saltwater Cowboy restaurant
owner George Stewart asked if his
'A' frame sign was legal. Hainley
said no it wasn't.
An audience member asked where
was the county's jurisdiction to pro
hibit signs on private property.
Stewart said that was a question
best answered in detail by the coun
ty attorney, who had not been asked
to come to the meeting.
Later in the discussion, Hainley
made the comment that in general
Georgia state law gives the county
the authority to enact zoning laws.
In response to a question from a
realtor, Hainley said it was legal to
put a sign inside the door or window
of the office that is visible from the
outside.
Answering random questions,
Hailey said state law doesn't allow
the county to regulate political signs
on private property other than limit
ing their size.
And when someone commented
about the high number of signs on
the F.J. Toras Causeway, Hainley
explained that traffic signs are regu
lated and required by the Federal
Highway Administration.
An audience member was con
cerned about selective enforcement
saying, "You can't not enforce the
ordinance on weekends, just because
the code enforcement office is off."
Responding to another audience
member, Hainley explained the for
mal complaint process for reporting
illegal signs.
During a road right-of-way dis
cussion, Hainley said signs on state
right-of-ways will be picked up by
the state.
Asked if any non-complying signs
were grandfathered in under the
ordinance, Hainley said there was
one on St. Simons, an 'off-site' sign
for the King and Prince Hotel near
the intersection of Ocean Blvd. and
Arnold Rd.
Off-site signs are now illegal, but
this one was built before the lan
guage prohibiting off-site signs was
in the ordinance.
County Commissioner Tom Sub-
lett (Dist. 2), who was at the meet
ing, said he had received numerous
calls and complaints from business
people who are concerned about the
ordinance and from island residents
who are concerned about "sign pol
lution."
"We're trying to do the right thing
and work with the business com
munity," said Sublett, "but we don't
want a thousand ticky tacky signs
blowing around the island and in the
ditches. We can tweak the ordinance
if we need to."
The most common complaint from
the real estate people was that busi
ness is down and they need the signs
to help promote their companies.
One owner said he used to have
a million dollar a year advertising
budget but could no longer afford to
advertise in magazines and newspa
pers so he needed the signs.
No decisions were made last week,
but the county did say they would
work with the businesses. □
Ongoing through September 26
Darien's Old Jail Art Center. Art work
of Carl G. Fougerousse. Free. Tuesdays
through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
437-7711.
Monday, August 31 through
Wednesday, September 30 - The
art of photographer Kenneth Carroll
and sculptor Susan Clayton will be on
exhibit in the Gallery of Goodyear Cot
tage in Jekyll Island’s Historic District.
The Jekyll Island Arts Association will
hold the artists’ reception Sunday, Sep
tember 6 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.
Sunday, September 6 4-6 p.m.
Ashantilly Center, Darien. Ice Cream
chum off. $5. 912-289-1144. 912-437-
4473. □
living on St. Simons, Ed Kellis has become a neighbor
and professional that you can trust. With more
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