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The City has gone full Nazi on signs!


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The city has gone full Nazi on signs!! A few weeks ago they come out with a letter to some of the local sign companies stating that they were in the process of changing how the permit process would go for sign permits and that they were in the process of changing the sign code to greatly restrict the installation of EMC's, and laying the ground work to ban pole signs in favor of monument signs.

One of the sign codes that has always been interpreted with common sense when it comes to wall signs is now being blanketed over all signage. That is the code stating that any sign that has a face of 50 sqft or larger will now need an engineers stamped approval, Yes that means EVERYTHING! I didn't believe it until today when I got a call from one of the inspectors that the permit that I had submitted was going to be approved as soon as I had an engineer sign off on it. The sign that I submitted the permit for was a 7' tall x 12' wide 3mm alupanel with vinyl graphics mounted with tapcons to the brick side of a building 18" off the ground!!!!!!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing, what the hell is there to engineer?? I asked if I were to have a set of flush mount channel letters on there instead of the alupanel would that need to be engineered also and his response was that if the box around the channel letters was 50 sqft or greater then YES it would need engineers approval!

Do any of you have to get engineers approval on crap like this??

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Just try to explain an permit including drawings can reach over $800 to install a 3' x 8' wall cabinet.

With construction of new housing way down, the sign industry is what is supporting the architects and the building and inspection departments.

We have become the new cash flow for them.

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I have to get engineering to redo my fence, at my shop. I F-ing lost it at the city last Friday. I may need to move my business and home.

Edited by alltex
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The city of Peru, IL recently put a 90 day moratorium on ALL SIGN PERMITS. Can you imagine these people thinking sign companies and businesses could wait three months for them to re-tool their sign permitting process? After passing on information (Thank You ISA) and attending three weeks of meetings, they finally realized it was unconstitutional to do so, and revised their moratorium to LED signs.

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Now THAT is a smart idea Mike.

About 20 years ago we had a business that wanted a big pole sign but the City wouldn't allow it. However, they were allowed two smaller pole signs because they have two frontages. The City Inspector (who, unfortunately, has retired now) suggested that we build the two pole signs to look like one but not have them touch each other so they can be permitted separately. Worked like a charm.

We tried it again last year and the new regime denied it saying we were clearly trying to get around the ordinance. Well, yeah, of course we were! What's wrong with that?

In Irving, TX a few years ago they passed a new ordinance banning plastic on all signs! No acrylic or Lexan sign faces, no vinyl, nothing. After a few months they just started ignoring that part of the ordinance and issued permits anyways. After a couple years they revised the ordinance again. They were trying to eliminate coroplast signs and (shocker) messed up everything in the process.

Still, sounds like Dallas and Irving aren't as bad as Indianola, IA. That is a crazy requirement. At least you know that everybody (that actually files permits) has to do the same thing.

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Could you apply for three 7' x 4' signs mounted next to each other?

Nope, I had a discussion with them again today, thought I had some common sense talked into them and then they went back to the engineers approval.........I then said I would like to dispose of this permit app and I will send another one with 3 - 7'tall X 4' wide signs and we will arrange the vinyl to accommodate what we want it to advertise. Her response was that if they were to make up one sign then I would be getting a notice of violation in the mail.

This is Des Moines, IA by the way, I have pulled permits in every medium - large city in the state of Iowa and Des Moines is BY FAR the worst to deal with, I just don't understand how you can tell a business that pays a large amount of taxes every year that you are not welcome to advertise your business.

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The city has gone full Nazi on signs!! A few weeks ago they come out with a letter to some of the local sign companies stating that they were in the process of changing how the permit process would go for sign permits and that they were in the process of changing the sign code to greatly restrict the installation of EMC's, and laying the ground work to ban pole signs in favor of monument signs.

One of the sign codes that has always been interpreted with common sense when it comes to wall signs is now being blanketed over all signage. That is the code stating that any sign that has a face of 50 sqft or larger will now need an engineers stamped approval, Yes that means EVERYTHING! I didn't believe it until today when I got a call from one of the inspectors that the permit that I had submitted was going to be approved as soon as I had an engineer sign off on it. The sign that I submitted the permit for was a 7' tall x 12' wide 3mm alupanel with vinyl graphics mounted with tapcons to the brick side of a building 18" off the ground!!!!!!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing, what the hell is there to engineer?? I asked if I were to have a set of flush mount channel letters on there instead of the alupanel would that need to be engineered also and his response was that if the box around the channel letters was 50 sqft or greater then YES it would need engineers approval!

Do any of you have to get engineers approval on crap like this??

In my area, we have to get permits and sealed plans for most anything, even inside malls. Heck, we recently had to get sealed plans on a set of FCO letters behind a cashwrap inside a store. Total size 24" x 60".

It's all a case of CYA. The township doesn't want to be responsible for saying that the design is acceptable. They require sealed plans so the finger can be pointed at the engineer, who would point at us. It's all due to huge legal fees, lawsuits, judgements, etc IMHO. The first thing that people think is "who can I sue" after they trip over their own two feet.

Maybe old Will was right - ''The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers,''

"

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