Centre Wellington Township has approved a proposal from its building department that will permit organizers of community events to have off-site directional signs.
Chief Building Official Bob Foster told council at a committee of the whole meeting on June 13 that when council approved its sign bylaw last year, it left provisions for off-site directional signs – but it had not designated the community organizations that could use them.
Foster said he “pulled the criteria out of the air to a certain extent” when he chose the maximum number of signs to be ten. He said he had considered “as low as three” to “how many.”
He noted that last year, Art in the Yard had over 200 directional signs, which was “too much. We dialed them back to ten signs.”
Foster said when it came to community groups, he came up with 16 that he sees as qualifying. He said other groups that want permission can ask council to be included.
Foster told council directional sign rules are strictly for public property. Those signs can be placed:
– between the curb or edge of the travelled road and the sidewalk, or
– where no curb exists, on the untravelled portion of the road allowance farthest from the outer edge of the travelled road; and
– where they do not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic or do not create a hazard.
Councillor Walt Visser had a concern about the proposal. He noted in the summer council reduces its meetings, and someone might need permission for signs for a new event, but have no time to get it.
Foster said groups planning such events should be doing so more than a week in advance.
Visser said it could take four to six weeks to get permission from council. “It’s a loophole that has to be covered.”
Foster said there is no fee, but all groups using directional signs on public property will have to meet the bylaw.
Councillor Kirk McElwain noted directional advertising is defined, but there is nothing about promotion. He said the signs are proposed for being in place up to three days prior to an event, and wondered if some events could attract current visitors back to the community if they were permitted to be in place for eight days in advance.
Councillor Kelly Linton said, “I like it. They may see it and return. It makes sense to extend it.”
Council agreed to extend the permission to eight days.
Councillor Mary Lloyd wondered if Foster’s proposal for ten signs is enough. She cited the needs of the Fergus Truck Show, and said, “I think ten is too low.”
McElwain said when it comes to the Centre for the Arts events, the proposed maximum is “ten lower than they’d like.”
He cited a recent mulch sale event and the event last year, and said, “There were 200 signs for each. That’s too many.”
Foster said, “I don’t want to leave the door wide open to charity groups.”
Public Works Director Ken Elder agreed with Lloyd that with events such as the Fergus Truck Show and the Fergus Highland Games, the more directional signs to help get vehicles off the streets and parked, the better it is. He said officials of both events have worked hard to get vehicles off Belsyde Street in Fergus.
Council agreed to leave the number for some events to the discretion of his department.
Elder said of Foster’s proposals, “I do like the report.”
He had worked with the Centre for the Arts after its sign problems the previous year, and, with the aid of a map, they came up with ten places to place directional signs. “It was perfect,” he added.
Councillor Steve Vanleeuwen wondered if the number of signs could be determined by the event.
Foster said the bylaw stated ten, but, “if somebody needs 15 … ”
Vanleeuwen also wondered about the size of permitted signs and how groups qualify as a community event.
Foster said the signs can measure 2- by 3-feet. He explained the event must have community significance, it should be an annual event, and should attract people to the community. Just being a fundraiser would not qualify it as a community event.
He said the idea is to notify the groups on the list, and anyone else can ask council to qualify. Municipal events such as Doors Open Centre Wellington do not have to qualify because they are already designated as community events.
Chamber of Commerce president Michael Weinstein was at the meeting and said his group has been working for several years with the township on the sign bylaw, and he is “happy how it evolved.”
He said when it was passed it was a “work in progress” and everyone knew there would be “tweaking.” He said the proposed list is “somewhat limiting,” and he is leery of council getting bogged down with requests for inclusion.
He noted there will be electronic signs soon going up at community centres and fire halls, and wondered if the building department can be empowered to make decisions on applications as long as the event is legal and there are “reasonable community standards instead of putting this through council.” He said 90 per cent of requests are “likely to be rubber stamped.”
Foster responded, “My concern is what rules would we apply. We could be criticized as winging it.” He added there are not many groups that would qualify outside of the 16 he recommended.
Vanleeuwen said that is no issue for the Building Department to decide. He said it has “no direction what is a community event and what is not.”
As for fundraisers, “I would have turned them down, if asked. We have 16 [for approval] now.”
Lloyd asked how to enforce the bylaw and how would the township notify groups they are in violation. Foster said the township would identify miscreants and call them. If the signs are on public land, “Ken [Elder] goes out,” and those signs are collected.
Lloyd said she is concerned about groups that plan to flood the community with signs.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said, “We want them to come here” to get permission.
Visser said there are many worthy events, such as horticultural society events and Legion events.
Ross-Zuj said of those groups, “Give us a call. It [council permission] is free.”
Foster said, “This is our best take of what it should be today.” The ones he submitted are:
– Elora Antique Show;
– Elora Festival Book Sale;
– Artcetera;
– Fergus Lions Home Show;
– Historical Automobile Show and Sale;
– Relay for Life;
– Riverwalk Music and Art Festival;
– The Elora Festival;
– Art in the Yard;
– Fergus Truck Show;
– Industry Day at Grand River Raceway;
– Fergus Scottish Festival;
– Fergus Classic Car Show;
– Fergus Fall Fair;
– Sensational Elora; and
– Twilight Zoo, Elora.
Council ratified its committee decision at its regular meeting on June 20.
