Tucson once had a reputation for incredible sign blight and Speedway was dubbed “the ugliest street in the nation.” Our current code language was designed to correct that blight, and the sign situation slowly, but surely, has improved over recent decades. We must not backslide.

 

The proposed “Pima County Sign Regulations (Draft 2)” essentially is a sweeping deregulation document, the long-term effects of which would be disastrous, esthetically and in terms of vehicular travel safety.

 

It is shameful that the department is using the very narrow Supreme Court ruling on Reed v. Gilbert as a justification for this gross deregulation of commercial signage.

 

Here are a few of the more egregious changes in this deregulation document:

 

• The purpose statement elevates promoting perceived commercial interests over traffic safety. It would allow now-prohibited distracting full-color electronic messaging signs that could change messages at 7.5-second intervals.
• It significantly increases the size and number of allowable free-standing signs in commercial areas.
• It significantly increases the size and number of allowable business wall signs.
• It significantly increases the allowable height of businesses’ free-standing and wall signs.
• It reduces the required setbacks from streets for side and rear signage.
• It would allow department personnel to grant exceptions from the greatly relaxed rules.
• It would allow a variety of potentially obtrusive temporary signs now expressly prohibited.
• It would allow greater latitude for businesses to retain signs exceeding county standards because they were installed prior to the standards’ adoption.

 

For these reasons, and more, we strongly urge the county to reject this document. It should instead retain and strengthen the current sign code except within the very narrow scope of Reed v. Gilbert.