The county council solved Eastsound’s street vendor problem. Next on the line-up is the sign ordinance.

The council has not specified when the ordinance will be reevaluated, but at the town hall meeting earlier this month, it was on their docket to discuss. The audience had strong feelings on the subject, and councilman Richard Fralick agreed that, as it is written now, it’s not working for the community.

The sign ordinance, which has been in effect since 1998, prohibits all “off premises outdoor advertising signs” in Eastsound. The prohibition covers all signs, including both commercial and non-profit entities. Outside of Eastsound, county code requires that business identification and advertising signs be mounted or painted on a building unless the business cannot be seen from a public road. Off-premises outdoor commercial signs are not permitted. The only exception to this prohibition is for a special event sign which can be displayed just once a year for a maximum of 30 days.

In response to complaints from citizens and business owners concerned about the proliferation of illegally placed signs, San Juan County had been tagging non-compliant signs with a courtesy notice stating that they must be removed within a specified period of time. In many instances, however, the tags were peeled off and the signs left in place. So starting in early July, the county began immediately removing unauthorized signage.

At the town hall meeting, many voiced the need for non-profits to publicize events with sandwich board signs, specifically happenings at Orcas Center. Others questioned the cost of paying a code enforcer to monitor and remove signs given that the county is in a budget crisis.

But there are other community members who see the signs as a blemish on an otherwise pristine village.

We feel that sandwich board signs for businesses should not be permitted. They aren’t paying for use of the land, and it opens the door for potentially dozens of businesses to stick up a sign. Sandwich boards may have character, but too much of a good thing ruins it for everyone. Eastsound is small area, and things like multiple street vendors or a hillside full of signs can cause visual blight. We support the removal and banning of illegal business signs.

However, we think non-profits should be given an almost-free pass. A community event should be promoted within the community. There aren’t so many events happening at the same time that sign clutter will be an issue. However, we support the county penalizing non-profits who don’t remove their signs in a timely manner.

If the council feels it’s time to revise the ordinance, then they need to do it. It empowers us when our opinions are heard, and a change is made. It restores faith in an uncertain time. It won’t please everyone, but if something is “not working,” then get out the toolkit, get to business, and fix the problem.