Signage committee stacked, agenda-filled

Thu., Oct. 21, 2004

The Spokesman-Review

The Spokane Valley City Council chose five persons with special interests – a stacked committee with an agenda – to head a committee on signage reform.

They used the same old tired arguments: First Amendment rights, not legislating aesthetics and not being able to locate businesses because of a lack of signs. Their recommendations are for more, larger, higher and brighter signs – and they want to abolish some of the aesthetic corridors from the list.

When the city of Spokane Valley was formed, Duane Halliday of Lamar Outdoor Advertising (billboards) said “I only want to keep the number of billboards we currently have.” Interesting how that translates to opening up aesthetic corridors to more billboards.

And can John Johnson, owner of Sign Corp., be the same person who sat on the committee with me and helped prepare the sign code adopted by Spokane County in 2001? Is this the same John Johnson who balked at the idea of a review committee? The same John Johnson who dislikes looking at model cities with responsible sign codes as a guide to good signage?

Where were the recommendations for sign enforcement? Is there no end to what this committee will do to further trash the community? We are urged to step up and get involved. A stacked committee chosen by the council prohibits involvement.

Incidentally, who can remember when we had a 7-foot snowfall that would limit the use of monument signs?

Jan Hannick

Spokane Valley

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.