The Grand Forks sign code will likely get a thorough review in light of the growing number of digital and nonconforming use requests coming to the city.
The council last night tabled an application for a digital billboard at 1101 South Washington suggesting the corridor is getting cluttered with the electronic signs. Council member Rebecca Osowski says all the signage is looking “tacky and trashy”. “It’s going to start looking like you took a wrong turn off the Vegas strip.”
In a separate move the council rejected a Park District request for a larger than allowed sign at the Oxford Sports Complex at the corner of South Columbia Road and 17th Avenue South.
Council President Dana Sande says he can’t vote “yes” as long as the Park District has other signs that are not in compliance. “I think if this was any other for profit business coming in to task for another sign on their property and they had a whole bunch of nonconforming signs already on that property it wouldn’t even have gotten to us because city staff would have told them you have to fix your issues.”
Council member Danny Weigel says he agrees the city’s code needs to be revamped – but in many cases the new signs are much better than the ones they are replacing.
The council directed City Attorney Dan Gaustad to review the 20 page code to simplify the guidelines and bring it more into line with today’s standards.
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Grand Forks leaders vow to be aggressive in securing future funding for the proposed 47th Avenue South Interchange at I-29. The city council approved preliminary concepts for the project last night. A staff reports puts the price-tag at over $53 million dollars. The earliest construction could begin is 2029.
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