SUMMERSIDE – City council’s technical services committee decided not to take the advice from its own technical services department and has set the wheels in motion to change the municipal bylaw dealing with off-site signage.
The committee is comprised of Coun. Ron Dowling as chairman, along with councillors Brent Gallant and Vance Bridges as well as Mayor Basil Stewart. All councillors take part in the discussions, but only the four members have a vote.
The issue came to the committee through an application from Sean and Liz Moore, the owners of the Driftwood Heights Bed and Breakfast and Tea Room located at 248 MacEwen Rd.
The Moores moved to Summerside from Ontario in January intending to open a business.
“Before moving here we did a lot of research about the Island and every business person we spoke to encouraged us to relocate to P.E.I.,” Moore said. “Since arriving we seem to have hit nothing but obstacles. No support from anybody. Many times we felt like giving up, but we have invested so much money we have to keep going.”
Moore said they have created a website, but he sees a need for off-site signage to direct visitors to his business.
“A lot of our business comes from drive-by tourists, who don’t even know we exist because we are not on the main street,” he said. “It seems very unjust that we pay the same taxes as those on Water Street where the main flow of traffic comes into Summerside. All we are asking is to have a directional sign to show these tourists where our business is located. It seems unfair that there are two large directional signs within yards of us advertising animal products and equipment rentals.”
Moore said they were told these businesses are exempt from the off-site signage bylaw because there were in place prior to the passage of the bylaw.
The city’s off-site signage bylaw is specific on what types of signs are permitted.
Signs that are, because of their structure or location, hazardous to the public; progressive signs where messages on more than one sign need to be read to obtain the full message; moveable signs; animated signs; static advertising signs on a vehicle or trailer; and signs on utility poles or trees are strictly prohibited.
Moore said he wasn’t looking for a large sign suggesting one that would measure two-feet by two-feet.
The technical services department staff recommended the current policies remain in effect. They advised the committee that changing the policy allowing off-site signage could open the door for other requests from businesses.
Another issue raised by staff was location of the sign. It cannot be placed on private property and if city council allows it on its right-of-way there is the concern that property owners behind that right-of-way would complain of a sign in front of their home.
The committee weighed the concerns of staff with the issue of aiding local business and drawing more tourists into the area and opted to re-examine the bylaw.
Staff was directed to come up with recommendations that would accommodate the request by Moore for another committee meeting. The issue will then go to a public hearing before landing on the floor of city council for a final vote.
