[StBernard] SIGNS

[Westley Annis]

My opinion on the temporary signs is purely my own, although I am the
commissioner -at-large for the areas east of Paris Road on YOUR  planning
commission which has responsibility for community issues such as signage
ordinances and makes recommendations on such matters to YOUR Parish Council.
(It's a voluntary service, with no compensation of any kind, and it's an
appointment by the Parish, in case you were wondering.) I am also a
Louisiana licensed professional engineer, with education and experience in
civil engineering and planning. So here's my personal perspective on the
issue.
 
First, the temporary signs are illegal because they are being placed in
public right-of-ways and at any time, any citizen or LADOTD or the Parish
can throw them away. From sidewalk to sidewalk, there is no right for anyone
to place a sign in public space, including the medians. There is also a
public safety issue as many of these signs are distracting drivers and are
blocking vision at intersections. So, if a sign annoys you, you will be on
the side of the law if you remove it just as if you were picking up litter.
Also, the Parish can't collect money to allow someone to violate the laws of
the State and Parish, especially if it causes an accident. What a class
action lawsuit!  I can see a lawyer's sign now---Sue the government because
someone in your family died or was injured due to the Parish selling permits
for businesses to place illegal signs causing a driver to be distracted or
blocking a driver's vision.  
 
Second, given that initially there were little means of communication
between businesses and the public, all levels of all government turned a
blind eye to the existing laws in many parishes. Today marks the fourth
month after the storm. Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Tammany have decided that
there is now ample opportunity for advertisement in more appropriate media
so they will begin enforcing the rules on signage starting Sunday. Is this
the best use of precious government resources? No, but there is an
obligation to return to standards of aesthetics and public safety.
 
Third, St. Bernardians do have many needs for the goods and services being
advertised, but this is beginning to be reminiscent of the days when anybody
could put up a parade reviewing stand, remember that?  Not only did it
detract from our Parish's look, but what a driving hazard that was!  The
magnitude of signs is growing out of control. Because someone put four signs
in a row, another business has to put eight signs in a row. It's like
election signs. Do you vote for the person that had the most signs? Do you
call the business that had the most signs? The businesses are just ordering
signs and it must be more than needed so they waste them in clusters just to
get rid of them.
 
Fourth, the signs range from the small, professional, plastic kind to ragtag
scraps of wood, spray painted and nailed to trees and other people's
property.  However, the laws are applicable regardless whether it's a
professional sign or these homemade, shanty town billboards.  So DOTD and
the Parish will be crucified if they allow the professionally made signs to
remain, and only toss the others. It's either the government enforces or
they don't. However, again, you the citizen are within your right to remove
an illegal sign that has no civil rights.
 
Fifth, besides citizens going out and removing the signs, and businesses
putting out more signs, why not focus on what the goal is. How best to
provide information on businesses to the public, BESIDES newspapers,
Internet, radio, and television?  Seems to me that if there was a central
location where each business could place ONE sign of a specified size, the
people searching for services could just park their cars and go there to get
the names and numbers. Now what enterprising person can get this going and
perhaps make a profit by charging the businesses a fee for the sign and the
advertising space?  I know many will say the Parish should take care of
this. Folks, the government cannot do everything. There are more of us
citizens than Parish workers, and really, coming up with an innovative
solution for signage takes away time they could be spending on pressing
issues that only they can work on.
 
Take pride that those who used to look down upon our Parish are now saying
that if you had to have your home destroyed, how much better you are to be
in St. Bernard than other parishes. Why?  Because people are realizing that
we St. Bernardians are not waiting or expectingr the government to do
everything for us. We have pride, we have community spirit, and we have a
"Just Do It" attitude. We do what we can, when we can, the way we can, where
we can.
 
So if citizens start tossing away signs, it's because the businesses have
let it get out of hand, i.e. too many, too ugly, and in the wrong places.  I
sincerely hope someone can provide a sensible method for public
advertisement that is safe and effective and achieves the goal of the
business community and the citizens. 
 
Deborah Keller