Oskaloosa Set To Enforce Sign Ordinance

This sign hangs over a now shuttered business in downtown Oskaloosa

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Recently, Oskaloosa City Manager Michael Schrock asked the Oskaloosa Chamber to help alert businesses and individuals that they are looking to enforce the current code in regards to signs in the community.

Please be aware that city staff will begin ramping up enforcement efforts related to illegal signs in the city within the next few weeks.  Staff will be visiting and/or sending notices of violation to property owners and businesses that have illegal signs displayed on their property.  We are encouraging everyone to review the sign regulation section of the municipal code as soon as possible.  The municipal code can be found online at the city’s website www.oskaloosaiowa.org, or at the following link: http://library.municode.com/HTML/16543/level2/TIT17ZO_CH17.30SIRE.html#TOPTITLE.

The city is seeking voluntary compliance with the sign regulation code and does not want to put anyone in the position of being fined for non-compliance, however we are willing to take that route if necessary.

 Thank you.

Michael Schrock Jr.

City Manager

To help add some understanding of what the city would be looking for, we spoke with Danny Bolt, building official with the City of Oskaloosa. “We’re giving folks a little bit of time to get use to the idea,” Bolt said of the upcoming enforcement of the municipal code covering signs in the city.

Bolt pointed towards examples along A Ave that have banner types of signs. “Absolutely not allowed,” Bolt said pointing towards other types of signs that need permits.

Bolt explained that he will be stopping by businesses this week. “Before the week is over I will be stopping by and talking with each of those businesses where I notice them, to inform them that what they have is unacceptable”.

I asked Bolt why enforcement of this portion of city code has been brought to the forefront. “They got a little out of hand. There was a complaint or two apparently,” Bolt said of why the city is now looking to enforce the municipal sign code.

Businesses that have recently shut their doors will still be responsible for removing their old signs from buildings to be in compliance with city code. I posed the question to Bolt if a motivation for enforcement was to give the impression that businesses were not failing in town. “I don’t think that was anything to do with it,” Bolt said.

“It kind of looks like everyone’s have a yard sale or something you know when you go drive down the main business street,” Bolt said about large standing banners and other types of temporary signage that have started to spring up. “For one, they distract people from what they ought to be looking at, which is the vehicle ahead of them. Secondly, they simply don’t fit the zoning. That type of sign is not permitted.”

I posed the question of what steps would be taken if someone does not comply with the code. “Eventually it will become a municipal infraction like any other and would be referred to legal. I would like to think that wouldn’t be necessary. I think mostly it’s probably because people simply don’t realize or didn’t think,” Bolt explained about how it would be handled.

“Mostly I think just down the major business corridors, just considered to be getting a little out of hand with overly gaudy and bright signs that are distracting from the appearance of the community,” Bolt said of some reasons why this code is being enforced now.

I posed the question to Bolt that maybe this could be harmful to businesses that are trying to draw attention to themselves, especially in difficult financial times we are facing. “I hope they’re making it. I don’t know that spending money on gaudy signs will improve their business any.”

Going a little further on what Bolt just said, I asked whether those signs would catch the consumers eye. “It’s not, I think that as long as every business is on an equal footing, I don’t know that it should be a deterrent to anyone. On the other hand, you know, if you go to permitting everyone who advertise in what ever way they choose, all of a sudden we turn into the strip in Las Vegas.”

“Well I don’t think that anyone’s or the law was intended to be harsh with anyone. We’re here to remind people what the ordinances are,” Bolt said in conclusion.

The 9 pages of code are worth a read if you have concerns about your signage. For ease of access I will include the LINK HERE once again. http://library.municode.com/HTML/16543/level2/TIT17ZO_CH17.30SIRE.html#TOPTITLE