Elk Grove City Council, Mayor Split Over Business Signs; More Monument Signs on The Way?

An otherwise innocuous discussion at Wednesday night's Elk Grove City Council meeting on loosening sign regulations for small businesse...

An otherwise innocuous discussion at Wednesday night's Elk Grove City Council meeting on loosening sign regulations for small businesses led to a pointed exchange between the Mayor and Vice Mayor that resulted in a move to consider allowing more monument signs within the city.

The matter being discussed initially centered on whether or not the city should loosen sign regulations for numerous Elk Grove small businesses, many of whom are seeking the change as a way of improving business in an otherwise sluggish economy. Advocating for small business owners was Mayor Gary Davis who sought ways for small businesses to have more sign options.

After hearing requests for relief from a small business owner who said temporary placement of small for sale and a-frame type signs resulted in a notable sales increase and the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce, a majority of the council agreed with Council Member Jim Cooper and Vice Mayor Steve Detrick who said the current system, though far from perfect, was adequate and did not need any changes.

"I am not willing to change it for the most part," Cooper said.  

More signs like this could be in Elk Grove's future.
Among other things, current regulations allow businesses the right to place temporary signs near their business for up to eight weeks per year. Additionally, current regulations do not permit mechanical sign waving machines.    

Detrick also urged the city to modify the current monument sign regulations that limit monument signs to one per driveway.

"We have seen instances where there is 300 feet of [road] frontage with no driveways," Detrick said. "I think it would be nice to put something in on a case-by-case basis."

Detrick also solicited and got support from council members Cooper, Pat Hume and Robert Trigg. During the deliberations as Davis continued his advocacy for small businesses saying monument signs might not be a realistic option for most small-locally owned businesses, Davis and Detrick engaged in an acrimonious exchange on the how the matter should proceed.

Following that exchange, city staff was directed to return with a proposal to allow for more monument signs and none of the changes that Davis sought to aid small businesses. 

"I guess it seems we are more interested at looking at more monument signs in places where they are not allowed," Davis said.

A video clip on the Davis-Detrick exchange will be posted later. 




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4 comments

Michael Monasky said...

Imagine that.
Gary Davis, Defender of Small Business.
Like Private Charter Schools (funded by public monies!)
"Gary's Leadership Academy".

Anonymous said...

Once again, Davis putting politics ahead of reason. loosen the strings on signs so you can boast of small business support for next campaign, and meanwhile the City boulevards start looking more like Tijuana or Honk Kong--where anything goes in the name of advertising.

Kudos to the others for being courageous and doing the right thing.

Anonymous said...

I agree with poster above, however the monument signs are just as problematic. Anyone notice how Many times Mr. Detrick pushed the Council on monument signs? Something else is going on here for the benefit of one of his benefactors me think.

Detrick's Ethics said...

Steve Detrick was setting the stage to do Gil Moore's bidding for his monument signage, nothing more. The ordinance states there must be a driveway. Detrick is trying to get the city council to overlook that important requirement.

This was no heroics on Detrick's part. He tried to look the hero in denying the signage requested by the small business owners; whom by the way, don't have tens of thousands of dollars to dump into his campaign account, and/or to fund his son's event planning business.

Moore, on the other hand, does and has. Moore paid handsomely, over $25K, to the Detrick family, so that Detrick could do his bidding for him.

Detrick’s votes go to the highest bidder, and by his latest newsletter, fund his son's events. Anyone who doesn’t see that hasn’t been paying attention.

The city of Elk Grove's Code of Ethics state, "I do not use my office or the resources of the city for personal or political gain."

Yeah right. . .

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