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M/CLOUDY Temp: 41 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend December 5, 2002 The city has started to pay more attention to an ordinance that prohibits sidewalk signs like this one from being in the public right-of-way. As long as they are in recessed entryways like this one in downtown Medford, they�re legal. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Sign of things to come Medford steps up enforcement of its sidewalk regulation By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Downtown business owners are worried that a city ordinance will cost them customers. Ronnie Alexander, owner of Shoe Shine Express on East Main Street in Medford, said he’s afraid that removing his $400 sandwich board sign from the sidewalk will mean people won’t know he’s there. "You wouldn’t get no customers if it weren’t for the sign," he said. A city ordinance prohibits obstructions in public right-of-ways, such as sandwich board signs on public sidewalks. Violators may be fined up to $250 per day or per violation, according to City Attorney Ron Doyle. The ordinance isn’t new, but the enforcement is. "There hasn’t been a real consistent effort by city staff to do patrols," said Doyle. "The code has not changed at all. It’s just been sort of a lax time of enforcement." Alan Barnes, plans examiner with the building department, began strolling the streets of the downtown area Nov. 25 explaining the code to business owners and warning them that they needed to remove the signs or face a citation. After a handful of complaints and a seasonal slow-down at the building department, an issue that’s been a low priority now is receiving some attention. Until the city’s newly hired code enforcement officer is fully trained, city departments will continue dividing up the responsibilities of code enforcement. The building department is in charge of obstructions on the public right of way. When Barnes went door-to-door downtown in November, he said he talked to about 60 business owners who had signs out. He said he explained that the unattached signs in the middle of the sidewalk can injure people and damage cars, and that the sign owner and the city can be held liable. "Ninety percent or better were very good about complying," he said. When Barnes set out Wednesday with a police officer, he predicted they would be writing several citations. But he said that when business owners saw him coming, this time with a police officer, they came out to snatch up their signs. "No citations were issued," said Barnes. Carolyn Prentiss, co-owner of Twig, said she’s had a sandwich board sign on the sidewalk in front of her store for a year and a half and until Barnes began making his rounds last week, didn’t know it was a violation. She said she had positioned the sign in front of a tree, so it was out of the way of pedestrians. "It seems like the sidewalks are so wide and there’s not huge crowds of people," she said. "So it seems like there’s room." She’s removed the sign but said she hopes there’s a change in the ordinance because the advertising is important. "It’s up to the individual local government to decide what they want to do," said Doyle, adding that business owners could request a permit or ask the council for a change in the rule. Alexander said he’s hoping other business owners will join him in seeking a change. "I want to find out how to challenge City Council," he said. Ordinances discussed at City Council To suggest a change to a city ordinance, Medford residents may attend a Medford City Council meeting and speak during the oral requests and communications portion of the meeting. Residents may also speak to council members and ask them to speak on their behalf. The council meets twice each month. Each meeting consists of two sessions; the first begins at noon and the second at 7 p.m. Meetings are scheduled for the first and third Thursday of the month in the Council Chambers, room 300, City Hall. For information, contact the mayor and city manager’s office at 774-2000, or visit the Web at www.ci.medford.or.us Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S