Historic Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as Route 1 will soon officially be “Historic Route 1” throughout the commonwealth. The General Assembly passed legislation this session to add the “historic” title to the roadway, which runs through 19 cities and counties in Virginia, including Arlington.

The legislation initially applied the “historic” designation to the part of the highway between Chesterfield and Colonial Heights. But Gov. McDonnell amended it to designate the entire route as “historic,” and the legislature agreed with his proposal.

Adding the designation will not cost the state government any money, but it will trickle down to localities, which will be required to pay for new signage at a cost of $400 per sign. The legislation takes effect July 1.

The measure also will not change the official name of the road in Virginia. Route 1 is formally known as Jefferson Davis Highway, in honor of the lone president of the Confederacy.

Route 1 runs nearly 2,400 miles, from Fort Kent in Maine to Key West in Florida. Before the introduction of the interstate highway system, it was a major north-south route down the Eastern seaboard.

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Sign Misery

More signage news from around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps has secured new signage at a car park where motorists were being unfairly caught out. The car park in Parkhouse had become a notorious spot for people being fined and residents would constantly complaint of the unfair practices of parking company UKPC.

Parking is free for an hour – but only when a ticket is shown, something many users would not realise. As a consequence motorists who were visiting nearby shops would return to find a penalty notice on their windscreens.

Mr Shapps, who stepped in after receiving countless complaints from his constituents, said: “UKPC thought they were doing everything by the book but local people found the system caught them out because in other Welwyn Hatfield locations no ticket is required to be displayed for the first free hour.

“I want to thank UKPC for listening to the concerns of residents and responding so positively. These new signs, which they produced in consultation with me, are spot on and chatting to motorists the other day it was clear that people no longer feel caught out by the signage.”

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Pier Signage

More signage news from around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as Blackpools North Pier was evacuated after its iconic signage sparked a fire. Flames coming from the 10ft high fascia were spotted by a passing taxi driver, who raised the alarm around 8pm on Saturday.

The venue and arcade was about to close for the night, but staff instigated the evacuation and the few remaining customers were asked to leave the building.

Workers at the popular attraction tried to tackle the fire themselves – after isolating the power supply – but with no success.

Three fire engines, two from Blackpool and one from Bispham, were sent to the scene, along with police officers.

Watch manager Peter Haslem, from Blackpool Fire Station, said the situation could have been much worse, but the stillness of the weather meant the fire had not spread.

He said: "The fire involved the fascia signage, made of illuminated discharge tubes, on the Pier at the front.

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Date Signage

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as an Orlando, Florida., bachelor who used a billboard to find dates says he might still be looking for love in all the wrong places but he remains optimistic.

John Smith rented a billboard along the city's Interstate 4 during December hoping the right woman would contact his helpjohnfindlove.com web site, but he says the women he's met have been less than ideal, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported this week.

"At this point, I would say, it was not successful," he said. "I had hoped to be dating someone seriously by now, but it just didn't work out," he said.

Smith says the women who've responded have either been dating other people or simply wanted a meal out. With others, the chemistry simply wasn't right, the newspaper said.

But ever hopeful, he's been the subject of radio and television interviews and he's organized a bachelor auction with proceeds going to an Orlando charity.

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Local Anger

More signage news from around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as a Cotswold village and backdrop to many Hollywood movies has been blighted by no parking signs that residents have described as "monstrosities". Gloucestershire County Council highways, at the request of Cotswold District Council, has put up several eight-foot high "No Parking Signs" in Bibury so that traffic wardens can enforce restrictions.

The signs, on Church Road, state there should be no parking between the hours of 12pm-8pm.

But angry residents have said the plans will disrupt activities at the village hall and church, which are also located on Church Road.

Angela Alderton, chairman of the village hall committee, said the effect of no parking will be huge.

"Most meetings and activities take place during the day or start at 7pm," she said. "This is bang in the middle of the restrictions.

"People will have nowhere to park. It is beyond my comprehension why highways deemed these restrictions and necessary. They must have a very cavalier attitude."

A spokesman for CDC said yellow line restrictions had been in force in Bibury for some time but the authority was unable to issue parking tickets to anyone ignoring the lines until the signs were in place, detailing at what times the restrictions applied.

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Pavement Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as council workers in New Zealand have confiscated pavement signs from Napier streets in a clampdown on unlicensed boards. Shopkeepers said they were aghast as a truck drove through the city yesterday removing the signage.

The move was the result of the council's recently implemented plan change aimed at "progressive removal" of footpath signs from the city's art deco centre.

The change allowed shops to have one footpath sign if they paid an annual fee of $100. This increases to $300 next year and $500 every year thereafter.

The fee was due by January 22. A letter to those who had not paid requested payment by February 19, and said they would get no further warning.

Those who paid their fee got a licence sticker to affix to the signs.

Twenty-two signs were confiscated.

Napier Inner City Marketing committee member Graham Edwards said the policy had been widely known but "we were certainly under the impression there would be a policy of encouragement and education".

"It's a ridiculous way to have gone about it. They could have put pink stickers on the signs. They've gone from nothing to confiscation."

Jude's Cafe owner Judy Groube, said the truck and four council staff took her three signs and a flag outside her Dalton St cafe shortly after 11am.

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Sign Eyesore

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as Upper East Side, New York residents are fuming that "sign pollution" is turning their posh neighborhood into an urban eyesore. On a stretch of East 86th Street between Park and Second avenues, a rash of chain stores like Best Buy, Staples, Beach Bum Tanning, New York Sports Club and Orva display bright, flashing, oversize commercial signs in violation of the city's zoning laws, according to the neighborhood's East 86th Street Merchants and Residents Association.

But the city's Department of Buildings does little to explain or enforce the complicated signage rules.

East Side neighbors are steamed that retailers like this Duane Reade at 86th and Lex are violating laws that forbid retail signs taller than 3 feet.

Residents say the biggest visual offender is Duane Reade at the corner of 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, which advertises its presence with an oversize, illuminated sign displayed on a 10-foot-tall former movie-theater marquee. The zoning law prohibits signs taller than 3 feet.

DOB revoked Duane Reade's sign permit last June -- but the illuminated red and blue billboard remains.

Stores with illegal signage are not fined, and business owners are merely notified that they must remove offending billboards, a DOB spokeswoman said.

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Shop Front Spruce

More signage news from around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as shopkeepers in Chard are being offered up to £1,000 to spruce up their shop fronts with the help of a new grants scheme. South Somerset District Council is offering landlords and shop owners grants to pay for improved paintwork, signage and other enhancements in a bid to give the town a fresh look.

Cllr Kim Turner, area west chairman at South Somerset District Council, told the News: “The aim is to improve the appearance of the town’s shopping streets as one of the first visible steps to regenerate Chard.

“It also helps to set the standard for new businesses moving in and it helps attract more shoppers and visitors.”

The grants are provided on a 50% match-funding basis, with funding up to £1,000.

Eligible works include anything that improves the appearance of the heart of the town or benefits the security of the premises.

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Warer Signage

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District chairman Barry Benjamin has reported to local press that they have endorsed and committed funds in support of posting physical address signage on every waterway dock in the district.

This initiative of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office was undertaken because the ability to locate addresses, from the water as well as the street, is paramount in responding to emergency situations.

Commissioners of the Port, Waterway and Beach District agree that improved response times will result from posting clearly visible address signage at the end of docks.

Benjamin commented that, “There is nothing more important than safety on the waterways and this new 911 signage will only help to ensure that if there is an emergency the 911 caller will have an actual address to report, if the boater is not near a navigational aid (channel marker) or does not have a GPS on their vessel.”

“As the manager of St. Johns County Fire Rescue Marine Rescue response, I fully support and encourage this action,” Joe Sneed said. “The ability for our personnel to reference addresses from the waterway will definitely help reduce the associated response time. The waterway addressing will provide our rescuers with a visual point of reference allowing them to locate the emergency scene much quicker.”

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Board Ban

More signage news from and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as Estate Agents face a six week wait to find out if their boards will be pulled down from sections of Brighton and Hove. Brighton and Hove City Council announced proposals to widen the area in which “for sale” and “to let” signs would be banned last year.

But following an appeal from Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association (BHEAA), which claims its members are being victimised, a Government inspector was called in to make the final decision.

The inspector, who was appointed by the Department of Communities and Local Government, held a hearing at Hove Town Hall yesterday.

After the inquiry, it was announced that a decision could take up to 30 working days.

Phil Graves, the president of the BHEAA, said: “It has been rumbling on for years now.

“There are peoples livelihoods at stake here, not only the local estate agents, but the board suppliers and signage erectors.

“We will await with interest the decision and trust common sense will prevail.”

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Relaxed Rules

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as Carolina Beach business owners are looking for a sign. Actually, they're seeking signs of all kinds to draw attention to their establishments, including those currently not allowed by the town's rules.

Officials are considering whether to lengthen the amount of time allowed for temporary banners, currently four weeks, and whether to permit vehicle/trailer signs, A-frame boards, balloons and humans in costume, such as the Liberty Tax mascot seen in other parts of New Hanover County. All are prohibited under the town's current sign ordinance.

The planning staff proposes allowing businesses in commercial districts one temporary sign to be displayed per site year-round, including A-frame boards, balloons, portable signs, banners, human (costumed and handheld) signs and vehicle/trailer signs.

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Giant Kite

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as anyone in the Midtown area of Tucson today might notice a giant, primary-colored kite in midair.

The kite, which weighs more than a ton, is being installed as part of the signage for the new Diamond Children's Medical Center. The new children's hospital is part of Tucson's University Medical Center and is expected to be fully operational this year.
For children and families, the main differences will be space, comfort and privacy — all of the pediatric rooms will be private.

And families, who often spend months in the hospital with their sick children, will have more space and fold-out beds to help ease their stay.

The new center is a partnership between UMC and the University of Arizona's Steele Children's Research Center, merging clinical and research components into one facility for young patients.

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Tall Signs

More signage news from in and around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the tall business signs dotting U.S. Highway 98, Florida eventually might become a thing of the past.

The county wants to make the drive along major highways like U.S. 98 and 90 more pleasing to the eye and less visually cluttered. Next week, the planning board will consider some options presented by the planning and zoning department on how to change the sign ordinance countywide.

Shawn Ward of Santa Rosa County’s Planning, Zoning and Development Division held a meeting in Midway last Friday to hear what business owners and residents of the south end had to say about signage. About 30 people, plus the media, showed up and several voiced opinions to the proposed changes in the sign ordinance. Both south end Chambers of Commerce – Gulf Breeze and Navarre – were represented.

Ward said most of the signs along U.S. 98 are tall signs.

“There are 201 signs on Highway 98 from Gulf Breeze proper, starting at the Pensacola Bridge, to the heart of Navarre,” Ward said. “Fifty-three percent of those are tall signs.”

The main proposed change in the current sign ordinance would require all new signs placed in front of businesses or churches to be monument signs – low-level signs that are solid all the way to the ground.

However, the new ordinance, as proposed now, would not require any business or church that already has an on-premise sign in place to change it until more than 50 percent of that sign is damaged. And Ward assured that any changes to the county sign ordinance would not apply to municipalities in the county, like Gulf Breeze City.

“Gulf Breeze has its own sign ordinance, and I believe it is more restrictive than the county’s,” Ward said.

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Stand Firm

More signage news from in and around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the Hamburg Village Board, New York has decided that it will stand firm on its signage laws. Some businesses recently approached the board asking for variances to allow for internally lit signs.

With the establishment of more stringent architectural codes and a review board to oversee them, the village no longer allows for internally lit signs and informed the public during their work session Monday (March 1) night that, as of now, it will make no exceptions to that rule.

Mayor Thomas Moses Sr. told Tara Weller, a representative of Dairy Queen on Lake Street, that the ice cream store would need to erect an externally lit sign if she were to replace the broken one that is currently sitting in front of the business.

“If we start changing how we’re trying to do things mid-stream than we might have a problem in the future,” Moses said.

A few businesses have already realized that their requests for internally lit signs will not pass through the Architectural Review Committee and not get approval from the board, so they have decided to make revisions to their sign designs to comply.

“If we make an exception on just one, than there is no consistency and no use for even having the laws,” Trustee Mark Colmerauer noted.

Village Attorney Edward Murphy III said Walgreens and Fast Track Quick Lube initially had plans for internally illuminated signs but both plans were being approved at Monday’s meeting only because the signs are now externally lit.

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Taxi Signs

More signage news from in and around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as in Ireland a Longford Town councillor has said that better signage is required to let people know that there is a new taxi bay operating on Ballymahon Street at evening times, Sundays and bank holidays.
Cllr Michael Connellan, who met with the taxi drivers this week, said they are "concerned with the number of ordinary cars that are parking in the designated taxi rank after 7pm in the evening, particularly on a Saturday evening.

"The issue of policing and enforcing the bye laws is a matter for An Garda Siochana only and is not a matter for Longford Town Council. I propose to raise the issue of enforcement at the joint policing committee meeting with members of An Garda Siochana at the end of the month," said Cllr Connellan.

He said the Town Council can also play its part by putting up better signage.

"It is also necessary for Longford Town Council to erect signage to indicate the usage hours for taxi's and in particular the permitting of use of the five car park spaces on a Bank Holiday Monday and all day Sundays.

"The signage at present does not include the reference to Bank Holiday Mondays and Sundays. As a result innocent people are parking their vehicles in the allocated and designated bay on a Bank Holiday Monday and Sunday unaware of the new Bye Laws that are in place for quite some time.

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Ski Signs

More signage news from in and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as the excellent conditions from prolonged snowfalls is helping Scotland's ski centres, but could also provide a boost for the Gaelic language. Bilingual signs were installed at the Lecht, Glenshee, Nevis Range and Glencoe resorts a year ago, and a new research project will now assess their impact.

CnaG chief executive Donald MacNeill said: "The recent wintry weather and surge in visitors at Scotland's ski centres is providing great exposure for the new Gaelic presence at these centres. It's an ideal opportunity to examine the effectiveness of the bilingual signs among skiers and boarders who are attending the centres; a lot of whom may never have come across signs with Gaelic and English before."

"The bilingual signage scheme has run successfully for a number of years, with 100 companies having taken advantage of the opportunity, so we already know it's worthwhile in raising the profile both of Gaelic and the participating business. What this new research is about is trying to find out whether the presence of these signs affects the general interest in Gaelic; encourages people to think about Gaelic in a different light; or if visitors are more attracted to places with Gaelic.

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