Sandwich boards on city council’s agenda tomorrow : Beaufort Tribune.com

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Sandwich boards on city council’s agenda tomorrow

Sandwich boards on city council’s agenda tomorrow

sb_1_small1 The issue of allowing sandwich boards on Beaufort’s major arterial highways is on city council’s agenda for second (final) reading at its upcoming regular meeting tomorrow. The meeting will begin at 6:0 p.m. in the Beaufort Municipal Complex courtroom, 1901 Boundary Street. In anticipation of the event, numerous citizens have sent letters to Mayor Billy Keyserling expressing support and opposition to the proposal. Here is a sampling:

In the 50s,the “metal men” worked their way through this country and convinced everyone in every town to cover their beautiful architecture with metal siding. Zillions of dollars later we have finally managed to tear it all off and send it to the landfill. This century has brought us the plastic, all weather, easy to fold sandwich board, which incidentally, if you allow to proliferate, will counter the effectiveness of the ones already in use. Sandwich boards are effective when trying to pull people onto a side street or to alert and direct to a special event. If everyone has sandwich boards,the only people who benefit in the end will be the sandwich board salesman. Beaufort has worked so hard to create and maintain a decent sign ordinance, building codes, etc. After years of excruciating visual clutter all over town, it’s a shame this idea is even being considered. If a business is not clearly defining itself within it’s own confine be it name, window display, etc., probably adding eight square feet isn’t going to help. Cathy Goodell
I would like to point out that sandwich boards are permitted along Boundary Street and on Lady’s Island. We have a living, real life example of what it would do to our city. There is no visual blight of sandwich boards when driving in these areas of the city.
As a small business owner, I have been permitted to have a sandwich board for the past six months. I can unequivocally state that it helps my business. I don’t know who “Cathy” is. Who are her constituents? She seems like she has an ax to grind from her tone and she does not seem very business friendly. Her conjectures are completely false in my case.
I applaud city council for considering allowing sandwich boards. There need not be a lot of hype about creating blight because as I stated above we merely need to drive through the sections of town where it is allowed to see what the visual impact would be. The reality is that is takes money, time and effort to put a sandwich board out each morning and take it in each evening. If it is not helping a business then I think most businesses would not bother.
I spoke and another small business owner spoke regarding walk in traffic attracted through sandwich boards at the city council meeting Tuesday night. Let’s give it a try for a year and see what the visual effect is. In addition, more revenue for businesses means more revenue for the city.
If you allow additional sandwich boards, the speed limit on these roads should be reduced to 20 mph so those driving by them will be able to read them. Ribaut Road Resident
Tax them and have them taken in when the business is closed. Resident
Tacky outside says TACKY inside. Restaurant Owner
I agree about not having sandwich boards, it gives our town a clutter look and does that extra advertising really help in the long run. Please do not change the ordinance. Resident
I totally agree with Cathy. Beaufort Resident and Realtor
This makes good sense… Glad you’re raising the question . . . . Like “charged language” — or any other “exclamation point” — all become useless, unsightly clutter when overused. Cathy a most credible resource on the question… Commercial Real Estate Owner and Investor
I would agree we need to go very slowly on this one. We don’t need a proliferation of sandwich boards all over Beaufort! I think we have to be really careful not to despoil our town. It’s really special, and we need to keep it that way. Resident
I do not object completely to the Sandwich Boards, but (store name deleted) has three on the street and the store next door has two signs out. That is too many. Commercial Property Manager
In my opinion sign ordinances should not be so detailed as to eliminate thoughtful decisions by a review board that benefits the business and the public good. Resident
Very eloquently stated by your consultant friend. The parallels are well drawn and the sandwich boards will be an eyesore. Resident
There is an old but I think still very current book that was written on the system of street graphics which was appropriately titled “Street Graphics’ by William R. Ewald, Jr., AIP, AIGA.
I wanted to share with you two examples with you of when sandwich boards do help businesses: Yoga Chandra in the Lady’s Island Marina is tucked back off the road. The signage allowed is minimal. For Kim, a sandwich board with her logo, business name, web address, and phone number will help her to attract new clients. I think this would also help the other businesses that are tucked away from the main drag that need a bit more description of their business. I agree if you can’t make it on a main street with windows filled with your product, you won’t make it. For Kim, that sandwich board does make a difference.
For restaurants, the daily specials on a sandwich board would attract me in. Our restaurants don’t change their menus that often so to know what the soup and special of the day is, might entice me into the business. As well traveled as you are, you know that many cities have hanging signs on lamp posts with just the name of the business on the sign hanging in a group from the post. That might be considered. Professional Writer/Researcher
I am a big believer in signage for any “Brand” (and Beaufort is surely a “brand”). Am just as supportive of a plan to make sure that Beaufort doesn’t get cluttered with “sandwich boards”. And, when you get around to putting a group together to tackle the issue, I would be happy to be part of the group. Retired Advertising Executive
Although I completely agree with the sign board effectiveness would be reduced if everyone had one, and Beaufort would be a “signy” mess, I do think that there needs to be some Advertising help and fairness to especially restaurants. Small Business Broker
If it does come to pass that we have sandwich boards, I believe that it should be imperative in the Historic District that all the signs look alike and follow the look of our soon to be implemented “branding” for downtown. I think that they must be required to be made by a sign company and not homemade and the Main Street Signage Committee should be fully involved in this, I agree with you that they should be for special events only. Retailer
I agree that this is a mistake, but as an “Islander” my vote doesn’t count. Ladys Island Resident
I agree that signs are more than ugly and do create a cluttered and chaotic look for any town. But I also understand the need for signage and a desire to help businesses in this economic downturn. The city could create attractive uniform wooden signs to be placed on sign posts around town hanging down from street signs wherein business may either advertise their business with arrows pointing down a street or the name of several businesses down the street. The city could charge some nominal rental fee from the business for this advertisement. You might even give some thought to overhead signs across a street with such advertising and street signs and even a mixture between these two types. Too much of one thing can become boring and unattractive as well. Realtor
I do not believe sandwich boards are the answer to the concern at hand…businesses flourishing. I have read several articles and letters that testifies to the fact of a lack of business hours conducive to the consumer in downtown Beaufort is a problem. I have experienced this as well. Those core business practice issues will not be impacted by a sandwich board. Resident
Billy, thank you for discussing fully the issue of sandwich boards…I wish the city could buy 10 blank ones that could be easily erased and let the merchants trade them around when they had something special to advertise….probably not realistic, but it would be better than a jillion boards. Retired Educator

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