City Council Passed an Ordinance Last Week That Will Force Almost Every Business in Marietta to Replace Its Sign Within the Next Nine Years
Home | Success Stories | Archived | This story
By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
The ordinance mandates that all signs mounted on a pole be replaced with a monument-based sign, which sits on the ground. The ordinance also deems that the maximum height and square footage of each sign be reduced.
"One of the major pieces of redevelopment is to clean up some of the old signs we have," Mayor Bill Dunaway said. "This will give the city more aesthetically pleasing signs."
Depending on the value of each sign, business owners will have anywhere from five to nine years to make the necessary changes to comply with the new ordinance.
While the ordinance is designed to enhance redevelopment and reduce blighted areas, business owners in the city aren't too pleased about having to change their signs.
"That Mulligan's sign has been there since 1991, and now they are going to change it out of the blue," said Mike Norman, manager of Mulligan's Food and Spirit on Roswell Street near Ayers Road. "This is America; we should be able to have whatever signs we want out there."
Kathleen Eubanks, who owns Eubanks Produce on Roswell and Park streets, said she does not support the new ordinance.
"That sign has been up for 30 years, and now they are going to tell me to take it down?” she asked. "That doesn't seem fair."
The ordinance does give business owners time to change their sign.
"Signs are repaired and changed all the time, so this will give them the opportunity to make the necessary changes to comply with the new ordinance," said Rusty Roth, the city's Planning and Zoning manager.
For signs valued at $10,000 or more, businesses will have the full nine years to bring their nonconforming signs into compliance. Signs valued from $5,000 to $10,000 will have eight years, $2,500 to $5,000 will have seven years, $1,000 to $2,500 will have six years and any sign that costs less than $1,000 will have five years to comply.
Also prohibited under the new ordinance are neon signs, electronic message boards and abandoned and dilapidated signs. The ordinance also demands that the maximum height of most free-standing signs be cut in half.
The maximum height for a free-standing sign on a major thoroughfare such as Powder Springs Road or Cobb Parkway is now 15 feet instead of 30 feet. The maximum square footage these signs are allowed is now 90 feet, compared to 120 feet under the old ordinance.
City officials said the purpose of the ordinance is to reduce the amount of "visual clutter" in the city while promoting architectural style and historic character. Roth said implementing monument-based signs also increase ambiance by creating a more pedestrian-scaled environment.
"It also makes commercial areas more attractive to new businesses, creates a community character and gives the impression of an active and affluent community," he said.
