A-Frame (Sandwich Signs) in downtown Glen Rose discussed at City of Glen Rose Town Council Somervell County Salon-Glen Rose, Rainbow, Nemo, Glass....Texas
4. Sign Ordinance: Council agreed unanimously that sandwich board or “A-frame” signs will be allowed in the Downtown Business Sector. Minimum and maximum sizes and other requirements will be outlined in the reworded ordinance, which Andy Lucas will present for final approval at the Special Meeting on September 28.
in November 2013, the Glen Rose Reporter made a reference to Happy Hippo, which business is located on Hwy 67 (Links no longer active)
Nov 12, 2013 - The Happy Hippo exceeds the city's new temporary sign regulations,.... a tear more than five inches in length, detach from the frame or stand, ...
B) “A-frame” or “sandwich” signs shall be permitted, provided they meet the following criteria:
(1) Sign approval must be obtained from Code Enforcement Officer prior to use;
(2) Sign must be no larger than 4 feet high by 2 feet wide;
(3) Sign must be professional in appearance (painting, lettering and the like);
(4) Sign must be located in front of the business it advertises. If located elsewhere, sign owner must provide written permission from owner of property where sign is located;
(5) Sign may only be placed on sidewalk during business hours;
(6) Sign may not block sidewalk or interfere with walking traffic; and
(7) Sign may not interfere with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.
if it is what appeared to be said in the meeting the other night, it isn't being either enforced, or re-written to be legal. For example, the signs, according to more than oner council person, are actually on TXDOT's right of way. However, I called TXDOT to ask if the corner on 144 and Barnard St (NW) is actually TXDOT property and was told it is not. TXDOT has curb to curb, so the sidewalk would either be city or county property. In fact, TXDOT usually has a "Mutual use agreement" with government in cases where a highway marker needs to be put up but there isn't a right of way for TXDOT to put it except on local govt property.
A second element is about having it in front of the business-that clearly is not the case for any of the businesses represented by the signs. If they are to be on the sidewalk, seems to me the written permission would have to be from whatever entity owns the sidewalks - county? city? And first up, sign approval would have to be gotten from the Code Enforement office. There was also a point about whether they would have to take them down at night or leave them there all the time. The signs are supposed to only be on the sidewalk during business hours, according, again, to the ordinance. When Dennis Moore brought this up the other night, it's because he saw a mobile dog grooming sign, unrepresented by any store-front downtown. However, the ordinance ins't clear that the signs must be for a business in any particular location.
I like the signs. I agree with others who say they are cute, quaint, character-filled, and, for at least some businesses, people who are downtown might not know they exist or which way to go without a pointer. Of course people make choices about exactly where they want to open a business for maximum traffic and one assumes that the rents might be different based on locations. On the other hand, what's the point of having enforcement codes on the books if governmental entities are going to wink at violations?
Update: 1/9/2016. I find this unintentionally hilarious. While driving through downtown last night, I saw that Dennis Moore has apparently added a sign for his church to put in with all the other signs on the corner. His church isn't a store-front, as was the basis of his complaint at the city meeting. Does he follow the ordinance and remove his church sign when it's not *business* hours? Or maybe a church follows different rules.
Update: 1/9/2016. I find this unintentionally hilarious. While driving through downtown last night, I saw that Dennis Moore has apparently added a sign for his church to put in with all the other signs on the corner. His church isn't a store-front, as was the basis of his complaint at the city meeting. Does he follow the ordinance and remove his church sign when it's not *business* hours? Or maybe a church follows different rules.