By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager
San Juan County is giving the owners of illegally placed “sandwich board” signs a heads up that their signs will be tagged on Wednesday, May 13 for removal within 7 days. Tagged signs that aren’t removed by May 20 will be picked up by County personnel and held for a short time to be reclaimed by the owner. Unclaimed signs will be discarded.
San Juan County code requires that business identification and advertising signs be mounted or painted on a building unless the building cannot be seen from a public road. Additionally, residential and commercial identification signs, outside of urban growth areas and activity centers can be no more than two square feet in size.
Off-premises outdoor commercial signs are not permitted. However, signs for special events may be legally displayed once a year for up to 30 days, except within the Eastsound UGA limits
The stepped-up sign enforcement is the result of complaints from business owners who worry that the number of illegal signs could grow out of control as competing businesses vie for then attention of visitors as the tourist season approaches.
If I read this correctly, the Actors Theater of Orcas Island at the Grange, the Orcas Center and the Parks and Recreation Music on the Green program won’t be able to display signs for events except once a year- is that correct? Does “except within the Eastsound UGA limits” mean signs for special events can be displayed with more frequency- or not at all?
I’m not sure which signs business owners are concerned about that has brought about this county enforcement. While the county is dealing with cutbacks to important services, this seems like a waste of time and money to me.
If I read this correctly, the Actors Theater of Orcas Island at the Grange, the Orcas Center and the Parks and Recreation Music on the Green program won’t be able to display signs for events except once a year- is that correct? Does “except within the Eastsound UGA limits” mean signs for special events can be displayed with more frequency- or not at all?
I’m not sure which signs business owners are concerned about that has brought about this county enforcement. While the county is dealing with cutbacks to important services, this seems like a waste of time and money to me.