Chamber Rallies Interstate Businesses Over Sign Code

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In an effort by the Tipp City Area Chamber of Commerce to assist local businesses in dealing with both the complexities and controversy over the City’s sign code, Chamber President Matt Owen called on all Interstate property owners and businesses to meet with City Council and Planning Board members on neutral territory, the Monroe Township Building on Friday morning.

The hour and a half meeting was attended by City Council members Pat Hale, Joe Gibson and Katelyn Black, three of the four officials elected by residents in November. Planning Board member Scott Brownlee also was in attendance.

Chamber Chairman Phil Cox welcomed the Interstate facing businesses and shared that the Chamber and the Legislative Committee will formulate a list of business-friendly changes to the Sign Code and then hand these recommendations over to the Planning Board to review. This action came in response to requests by City Council and the Planning Board for citizens and business owners to “chime in” with recommended changes.

The franchise owner of the brand new Holiday Inn Express started off the discussion describing his very low transient occupancy rate, in his opinion due to the lack of a highway sign. He stated that he is “bleeding” to the tune of $40,000 a month and “the bleeding has to stop, or I’ll be out of business”. Paul Loubier, restaurateur and interstate neighbor to the Holiday Inn stated “Tipp City signs used to be 60 feet high and 200 square feet for any sign within 660 feet of the Interstate. His large Tipp of the Town sign was prototypical of the signs allowed under the municipal sign code 20 years ago. Mr. Loubier continued “I have never heard anyone state that the current sign code is a good thing… even the checkout lady at Foodtown (Chmiels) says the sign code is anti-business”

One exit north of Tipp of the Town has been known as the “Flag Exit” for many, many years thanks to the Arbogast automobile dealership which features the second largest American Flag in the State. Dealership owner Dave Arbogast told the council members “If my flagpole came down in a storm or needed to be taken down for repair it would not comply with the current sign code and the pole and flag would have to be smaller.” Mr. Arbogast shared that he actually wants regulation on signs in Tipp City, however he feels that it is “unfair” to have the same sign regulations for his 100+ acre facility with more than a mile of Interstate and state route frontage as a business with a one acre plot. He has had to seek out multiple variances to allow additional franchise signs to be installed on his property.

Back on Exit 68, Owner of Voss Honda shared his frustrations with the sign code. “The manufacturer (Honda) has certain branding demands for us dealers” As his dealership has grown over the years, their used car lot is located across the street, but the used car sign remains on the new car lot. “I am not allowed to move the sign to advertise my used car inventory on the adjacent lot as the current sign is now “nonconforming’ to the City sign code”. He explained the strange looks of his dealership visitors who drive through the new car lot looking for a used vehicle, and not finding a single one.

While Warrior Racing owners Michael and Chris Dakin were both in attendance, the Dakins’ and City Council members were careful to only discuss aerial signage in regards to the Warrior Racing property. Residents may have to wait for the Ohio Supreme Court to rule before any further discussions on the Crazy Professor mural are heard in public again.

One of the significant shared thoughts of business owners and the City Council members in attendance was that whatever sign code regulations are enacted, Council must be able to retain their ability to grant variances. Several of the business owners identified City attorney Joe Moore as “strong-arming” Council into eliminating their power to grant variances to any sign code regulation.

“What happens if Carrabas (a fine italian restaurant) comes to town and they request a sign that is exactly one foot larger in dimension than the City Code allows?” “Are City residents prepared to turn away dozens of new jobs and tens of thousands of new tax dollars over one square foot (of advertising)?” – Owner, Holiday Inn