County Cracks Down On Illegal Readerboard Signs
Spokane County code compliance coordinators paid an unexpected visit to several East Sprague businesses this week, handing out information about portable readerboard signs.
There are hundreds - perhaps thousands - of the signs in unincorporated Spokane County.
And they’re all illegal.
“It’s a problem that’s gotten away from us over the years,” said county code administrator Thomas L. Davis.
Part of the problem, he said, is that most people don’t realize the signs have been prohibited by the county zoning code since 1991.
The biggest concern is safety, Davis said. Portable readerboards are often placed close to streets, where they block the vision of drivers trying to pull out of parking areas. They sometimes block sidewalks.
Still, enforcement has been nearly nonexistent, Davis admitted. There hasn’t been enough staff to deal with the problem, he said, so the signs have proliferated.
Concerned about the hazards and clutter the signs have created, county commissioners last year approved an extra full-time staff position to deal with the issue. Two code compliance officers will share the task initially.
They started the job of educating the public this week.
Most people think of portable readerboard signs as the typical fiberglass and metal message boards that advertise sales on haircuts, cigarettes and five-shot mochas.
But according to the county zoning code, they are any sign which is not permanently affixed, and is designed to be moved. Whether plywood or plastic, they’re still prohibited.
Because the number of signs is so large, the county has decided to begin its reduction program in a limited test area. It chose East Sprague because it has an abundance of portable readerboard signs.
Code compliance coordinators began making their visits to East Sprague businesses Wednesday. They started at the city limits and plan to work their way east. They’ll also visit businesses in other areas if they see a sign that poses an obvious safety concern.
This week’s visits were purely informational, letting the owners and renters of the signs know they’re in violation. If the readerboards aren’t removed - or converted into permanent signs that meet county code - the businesses will get official violation notices.
Eventually, the business owners could face misdemeanor charges.
But for now, the goal is to educate the community. The hope is that people will remove the signs if they realize they’re illegal. And, that they’ll stop buying and renting them.
County officials also are talking to businesses that provide the signs. Most of these businesses, such as Sun Rental Center on East Sprague, have only a handful of the signs, which they rent for about $65 to $125 per month.
But a few, such as Lloyd’s Portable Signs in the Valley, deal solely in portable readerboards.
“I can’t hardly sleep at night,” said owner Lloyd Wollenhaupt, a 68-year-old Kaiser retiree who has sold and rented the signs from his home for 14 years.
He was shocked on Monday to learn that the use of his product was illegal in unincorporated Spokane County.
It’s still legal for his customers to buy a readerboard and turn it into permanent sign, as long as they meet all county regulations. It’s also legal for them to use portable readerboards within the city limits of Spokane, as long as the particular zone allows it and some additional requirements are met.
Still, Wollenhaupt was worried - and angry.
“They’re a benefit to the community,” he said. “They bring in sales. And sales turn into taxes…”
Those who oppose the portable readerboard prohibition can send their comments to the Spokane County Planning Commission. The commission will be updating county sign regulations next year.
Davis knows the crackdown won’t be popular among some businesses, but he believes it will benefit the community at large.
“It’s a `negative’ program, but hopefully we can make it into a positive,” he said.
INFORMATION For more information about portable readerboard regulations, call the Division of Building and Planning at 477-3675.