Centre Wellington Township approved its sign bylaw on July 12, but council expects to implement it in a kind and gentle way.
Chief Building Official Bob Foster said on Tuesday morning he was currently busy writing letters to people who have signs that do not comply with the new regulations. The letters would explain they do not meet the rules, provide an explanation of them, and give them plenty of time to comply with the bylaw.
“There’s an education period that goes with this,” he said.
Councillor Fred Morris suggested a phase-in period would be prudent. It would be similar to the one the province used when it outlawed the use of cellular phones while driving a vehicle on public roads. For several months, police simply issued warnings to educate people.
Foster said, “I imagine we won’t get into enforcement for a couple of months yet. That’s only fair.”
As well, council made some changes to such things as the mobile sign bylaw, stretching out the period in which they may continue to be used.
Foster said for Fergus, that period extends the use of the signs for up to three years, and then users will have three months where they can use the signs. That extension part of the bylaw is for Fergus only, because Elora has always had the limits now set out, and nothing has changed there.
Foster said that change was made at the request of the chamber of commerce. “It’s three years before they get to the three months [maximum use],” Foster said.
Another change involved the amount of copy that can be changed on a sign. Foster said that was shifted to 90% of the lettering that can be changed, instead of 70%. He said that reflects what is happening anyway, and cited the Elora Public School sign as an example.
Foster added third party road allowance sign owners will be given a year to remove their signs from township property, and he is drafting letters to that effect as well.
Foster reported a number of changes to the draft bylaw to council on July 12.
Chamber of Commerce president Michael Weinstein told council that after hearing Foster’s proposals, he could eliminate about two-thirds of his concerns.
He said there is a perception in the business community that council is not business-friendly. He cited a decision a few days previously when the township collected almost 400 illegal signs, and he wondered why, when the bylaw was going to be considered in a few days.
He noted Heritage River had asked for directional signs, and offered to place directions to several other places on those, but the application was turned down.
But, he said, “It can’t be a free for all. The Chamber of Commerce recognizes that.”
One of the stated reasons for a strict bylaw is to prevent sign clutter in significant areas of interest in the township.
Councillor Fred Morris said council “needs to send a strong signal we’re not business unfriendly.” ?
But, he said, “Passing a bylaw gives us a document to work with.”
Sign bylaws are very complex and are often more detailed than a zoning bylaw. The township has been without a bylaw since amalgamation and while Fergus, Elora and Nichol had such bylaws, each was different.
The rural municipalities had their own bylaw created several years ago, mainly by using Nichol’s so there were some rules in place for them.
Councillor Walt Visser told Weinstein “I think the municipality has never used a hammer [a tough approach].”
He cited working with people over parking bylaws and fence bylaws.
“I don’t think anybody’s out there ready to tear down or tow signs away [to enforce the new bylaw]. We need a document.”
Resident Ken Musselman attended as a delegation and said the new bylaw is complex.
He said over two years ago he had to move a sign. He said it had met all the rules except that it has wheels. And now, he needs a $75 fee to use it.
“If you pass it tonight, it could be taken away tomorrow,” he said. “I hear it’s flexible. That’s not how it comes across to me.”
He said some signs on farm laneways do not meet the rules because they are on municipal property, and he wondered about a sign that is decorative for a lane entrance.
He also did not like the provision of doing a sketch to scale to indicate where a sign would be placed when he applied for a permit. He explained he has an odd-shaped property, and would almost need a survey to comply.
Ross-Zuj told Foster someone from the building department should visit Musselman’s property to help him determine the best way to meet the rules.
Council then approved the bylaw with a 3-1 vote. Councillors Visser, Morris and Kirk McElwain were in favour and councillor Bob Foster was opposed. Councillors Ron Hallman and Shawn Watters were absent.
