The District of Sicamous’ sign bylaw is showing signs it’s in need of updating.
District staff and council confirmed they will be reviewing the bylaw along in conjunction with the district’s zoning bylaw.
Discussion of the sign bylaw arose in council during a vote on an application by Twin Anchors to place a sign at the Highway 1/Sicamous-Solsqua Road intersection. Council approved the sign, with the understanding that it wouldn’t impact sight lines. Before the vote, however, council began talking about commercial signage in general and, eventually, the district’s sign bylaw.
Coun. Jeff Mallmes got the ball rolling by stating more signs should be allowed on designated highway commercial property.
“If you want to put a sign up, you should be able to put a sign up without going through this rigmarole because we need to promote the town,” said Mallmes. “People are driving by and they’re not even looking. So maybe if we get something out there, that says, ‘just stop here, we have a marina over here we have a boat launch over here’… we should have more signs along here, not less.”
Mayor Terry Rysz countered Mallmes, stating the district has a sign bylaw to keep people from putting signs up haphazardly.
Mallmes then commented on the poor state of some of the existing signs along the highway, suggesting something be added in the sign bylaw requiring signs be refaced every two or three years.
Rysz then said the district will be reviewing the bylaw. This was echoed by town manager Evan Parliament, who said staff had recently come under criticism for enforcing the bylaw.
“That’s our job, enforcing the sign bylaw enacted by council,” said Parliament. “That doesn’t mean our bylaw is correct. Sometimes we need to review it. I think it’s been highlighted in the last three weeks on two different accounts that maybe there’s some language in the bylaw that we need to review, and we welcome that.”
Noting how sign bylaws can be controversial, Parliament commended staff for responding to the complaints with amicable solutions.
Rysz said the sign bylaw review has been identified as one of council’s strategic priorities, as part of streamlining the way business is done at the district.