Planners endorse allowing more signs

County commissioners have final say

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

One of the new rules would allow digital signs and the other would allow off-site real estate advertising signs. The county commissioners will have the final say on the matter.

The Southern Maryland Association of Realtors proposed the real-estate sign amendment in an effort to help sellers move their homes in a depressed market. Currently they are only allowed to advertise open houses with off-site signs on weekends, pointing the way to the house.

This amendment would allow up to three signs on another property other than the one for sale within a 5-mile radius. Permission would be needed to post them on other private property. The size of the signs is limited to 12 square feet and a height of 18 feet.

The planning commission voted 4-2 vote in favor of allowing these new signs, with Shelby P. Guazzo and Brandon Hayden voting no.

"I see no reason for directional signs to be 18 feet high," Guazzo said.

"Clearly most people post signs everywhere," said Merl Evans. "Most people don't come and take them down." He and several others have suggested the county zoning ordinance's sign rules need to be comprehensively retooled.

With lax enforcement, "They're doing it anyway. You see ‘em everywhere," said Martin Siebert. In the real estate market, "If I'm in financial straits, I'm hanging up signs."

Walter Burch of the Esperanza neighborhood in Lexington Park wrote to the planning commission in opposition of the signs. He said the argument "that allowing more signs will increase home sales is absolutely absurd. Home sales are a product of economic factors, and have nothing to do with signs."

The recommendation to allow digital signs in the county was approved by a 6-0 vote.

Some digital signs already exist in St. Mary's and the zoning ordinance needed to catch up, Phil Shire, acting director of land use and growth management, had told the planning commission during several work sessions.

One digital sign per business on its own premises would be permitted under the change.

Animation, scrolling, flashing and other distractions are not allowed under the regulation.

Guazzo cited "an extremely annoying" sign that she had seen with a lime green background somewhere so she included language into the amendment to prohibit "shimmering" signs.

Otherwise the digital signs can be expensive. The planning commission wanted to keep them affordable for small business advertising.

"I think we've come up with a very good product to do that," Guazzo said.

jbabcock@somdnews.com