BELLA VISTA - Many residents consider billboards an eyesore, but the ones peppered along U. S. Highway 71 on the outskirts of the city will remain in place, despite an upcoming proposed sign ordinance prohibiting such structures.
In the ordinance, signs currently in place will be regulated under a grandfather clause and will be allowed to stay, but the Bella Vista Planning Commission is adamant about prohibiting additional billboards in the city.
"Our intent is that we really don't want any more billboards," commission chairwoman Debra Lewis said.
Commissioner Don Robinson has already begun taking inventory of signs currently in place. Nothing can be done to have those signs, which violate regulations set forth in the proposed ordinance, removed.
"You can prohibit new billboards, but you're stuck with the ones that are already here," Jeff Hawkins, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, told city planners at a May 2 meeting.
The ordinance would require a city permit for most temporary and permanent signs - including sales and promotion for businesses, charitable events and nonprofit announcements; awning and canopy signs; and marquee signs.
Signs allowed without a permit include construction signs, historical markers, political signs for election purposes, real-estate signs and yard-sale signs.
The commission originally set a limit of political signs to one per lot, but issues with freedom of speech convinced members to increase the limit to five per lot.
Whether a permit is needed, regulations for the size, height and number of signs must be met to comply with the proposed ordinance.
In addition to billboards, other signs not allowed by the draft ordinance include portable signs, roadside markers, banners stretching across a street or road, rotating or revolving signs and vehicle signs in a public right of way to advertise products or services.
The proposed sign ordinance was originally planned to be part of the zoning ordinance - which the Planning Commission is currently drafting. But Bella Vista Mayor Frank Anderson requested that the sign ordinance be separate so the City Council can approve it sooner, in time for election season in November, to regulate the various political signs which will begin popping up around the city.
Theresa Neal, administrator of the Architectural Control Committee, said she and her staff are currently reviewing the sign ordinance to see if there are any overlaps with the ones in place with the ACC.
"We're wanting it to match up pretty well so there's no craziness," Neal said.
Enforcement of the sign ordinance continues to be a sticking point with the Planning Commission, knowing there is not enough manpower with the city or the Bella Vista Police Department to efficiently regulate the provisions.
"Until the city gets a codeenforcement guy, it's going to fall on me," Police Chief Jim Wozniak said.
At a recent meeting, city planners decided to hold off on including enforcement provisions in the ordinance, but the planners agreed that enforcement provisions are necessary.
"Enforcement is the problem we have here," commission member John McBee said. "Without any kind of enforcement, this ordinance would be toothless."
Commissioners agreed that further revisions of the ordinance are needed before they can recommend it to the City Council.
A public hearing on the proposed ordinance will be held at 6: 30 p.m. Monday at Riordan Hall.
"The odds of us passing this on (Monday ) are next to nothing," Lewis said. "It looks like we will have to wait until June."
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