sign bylaw criticized

‘Too restrictive, say merchants

NORTH VANCOUVER City businesspeople criti- cized a new city sign bylaw at a Monday night public meeting.

By Pameia Lang Contributing Writer

Bob Fernley said the new bylaw being drafted for city council’s approval was too restrictive.

Signage, he said, should be well regulated, not over regulated. Fernley added that a sign is typi- cally expected to last nine years, while its holder should last 25 years.

But Fernley said if any change is made to a non-conforming sign, the entire design, including holder, may have to be replaced at a cost of between $10,000 to $40,000.

“‘That’s a substantial amount to fork over if the Lylaw forces (a small businessperson) to change his sign,’’ he said.

Fernley suggested that businesses could pay a premium for signs like sandwich boards, which are illegal because they block the sidewalk.

The additional fees, he said, could pay for additional in- surance.

Fernley also presented . council with a petition, signed by local merchants, asking council to reject the proposed bylaw and urging council members to work with businesses to develop a bylaw that better meets the needs of the business community.

Jack Irwin of Pacific Honda said the sign bylaw heavily restricted flags, streamers and posters, which he said were an important part of doing business.

Many car dealers, he said, use strings of flags that require a bucket truck at $100 per hour to install, and becawse of the expense most dealers change them only every two to three years, rather than the 30-day maximum sug- gested in the bylaw.

Irwin said he was also concern- ed about the prohibition of rotating signs.

The restrictions in the draft bylaw would inhibit North Van- couver’s design community, said Tim McLean of the British Col- umbia Electric Sign Association (BCESA).

He said the bylaw would also cause confusion because ‘‘a lot of the wording is ambiguous.”’

McLean said that while some of the prohibited signs aren’t always esthetically pleasing, they are sometimes necessary.

The BCESA is trying to come up with general guidelines for communities around the province, he said, and would be willing to spend time on the North Van- couver bylaw.

McLean said the bylaw now -be- fore council was unclear and would take four clerks to answer all of the questions that it would generate.

According to his understanding

.of the bylaw, Bob Tarplett said

the sign approved by the Canada Post Corp. at William Meek Printers would have to go.

William Meek runs the Lower Lonsdale postal outlet that has taken on many services no longer

NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL

offered at the ci. 3 main post of- fice.

Without the sign, Turplett said, ‘nobody will know where the post office is.””

Balloons are also forbidden under the current draft bylaw; the restriction upset balloon-business operator, David Munn.

“They help to brighten up stores for specials, sales or pro- motions,’ he said.

City development services direc- tor Fred Smith said a ban on balloons was included to avoid the large inflatable signs that have, in the past, become unattached and have caused problems.

But the A&W's Dan Ruimy said balloons, banners, portable read- o-graphs and other prohibited signage help manv businesses maintain their competitive edge.

Being able to make changes and add new items to the outside of the store, he said, “*helps us to achieve what we have ro do."*

Other sign bylaw cencerns rais- ed at the meeting by merchants:

ethat a sign cannot be offen- sive to any member of the public (leaving room for unreasonable objections);

®the cost of replaciny a non- conforming sign when one small change needs ta be made.

* restrictions or prohi.ition, as well as $40 fees and des.::n panel approval, of temporary promo- tional signage;

*prohibition of sandwich boards (which are currently il- legal);

© restricting large lots or build- ings to single signs.

But bylaw avthor W. Graham Argyle told merchants and council that while the bylaw is in its sixth draft, there is still plenty of room for change.

‘Signage is bringing life to Lonsdale,”’ he said.

Argyle added that in drafting the new bylaw his company hoped to improve the took of the streetscape and see businesses pro- sper.

Many of the concerns raised Monday night, he said, deal with items that are unchanged from the current 30-year-old bylaw.

Argyle said that too many signs in too many styles increases the difficulty of reading all signs.

He added that the intent of the new bylaw is to present a cleaner look to street signs and make them easier for the public to iden- tify.

Addressing the fees and fines, also of concern to the merchants, Argyle said they are based on the amounts charged by other municipalities.

Mayor Jack Loucks asked any concerned businesspeople to sub- mit their suggestions in writing and explained that the draft sign bylaw has yet to be finalized.

The bylaw will probably go through a policy committee meeting and a public hearing prior, to any council approval.

Council had issued a moratorium on issuing sign per- mits to city merchants, but has since rescinded that motion.

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NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

LONSDALE CAFE’S Peter Leung with a sign outside his restaurant. Local businesses are com- plaining that the city’s proposed sign bylaw is overly restrictive.

By Michael Becker News Reporter

The bizarre accident occur- red at approximately 3:30 p.m. when the driver of the truck suffered a seizure as he was driving southbound through a single-lane construction zone along the highway. The truck swerved into a waiting am- bulance, sideswiping it and another car before striking a third car.

The third vehicle, driven by a lone male occupant, was pushed into a ditch. The truck came to a rest on top of the

Man survives pile-up

Car crushed by truck in Squamish Highway accident

A VANCOUVER man was a foot away from being crushed by a five-ton truck in a four-car collision Tuesday on the Squamish Highway near M Creek.

car, trapping the driver inside.

According to an emergency worker at the scene, the trap- ped man had about a foot of breathing space between his chest and the front axle of the truck above.

Said Squamish RCMP Col. Chris Stewart, ‘Someone was smiling on him that day.”’

West Vancouver Fire Department District Chief Walter Gibbs was in charge of the 1%-hour operation to cut the man out of his crumpled car,

“It appears the truck hit him head on, pushed him into the ditch and went right over

him,’’ Gibbs said. ‘‘We used the jaws of life and air chisels and a big heavy tow truck to pick the truck up. We had to pick the truck straight up.”’

Firefighters cut away the back of the car to extricate the injured man. He was subse- quently airlifted by helicopter to Vancouver General Hospi- tal,

Added Gibbs, ‘‘He appeared to have more cuts and bruises than breakages. He seemed to be only complaining about be- ing stiff and sore from being motionless for so long. The car was crushed all around him. If you go down to Pay Less (Auto Towing) you'd say the guy would have to be dead. I think he saw it coming and he laid down.”’

Meanwhile, according to Stewart, the driver of the truck remains in hospital under observation. The trapped man was released from hospital Wednesday morning.

Fires hit two North Van homes

TWO EARLY morning fires extensively damaged two North Vancouver District homes this week.

By Nichael Becker News Reporter

A faulty furnace is believed to be the cause of a July 30 blaze at a new home on Kerrstead Place in Lynn Valley.

A day earlier, two people nar- rowly escaped with their lives when fire broke out in a townhouse on Inlet Crescent in the Indian River area of Deep Cove.

On Monday, North Vancouver District Fire Department firefighters were called to 3223 Kerrstead Pl. at 4:11 a.m. Upon arrival firefighters found fire bur- ning through the roof of a new home under construction,

Said North Vancouver District Fire Department Capt. Bert Batt, *“*When the crew looked in the building there was fire in the basement, the first floor, second floor and through the roof."

The fire was brought under control by 4:58 a.m.; preliminary estimates put the loss at $100,000.

“It was two weeks away from people moving in,”’ said Batt.

The cause of the fire is still

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under investigation by the fire department, the North Vancouver RCMP and insurance adjusters.

Meanwhile, a smoke alarm is being credited with saving the lives of two tenants when fire hit at about 3:30 a.m. on July 29 at 305-3980 Inlet Cres.

At the — scene, firefighters found fire had spread through three floors of a townhouse. The fire wzs controll- ed by 4:14 a.m.

Said Batt, ‘‘The two occupants (a man and a woman) of the home were asleep at the time and were alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm.”’

Investigators have determined the cause of the fire to be ac- cidental.

Said Batt, ‘‘We have the fire starting in the storage room access to the crawl space, just off the unit’s enclosed garage. The fire was burning for a period of time.’’

The smoke alarm sounded, aler- ting the tenants. They attempted to escape down the stairwell, but couldn’t reach the front door.

“They went out to a balcony and climbed to a_ neighbor's balcony. When they came down it was so hot, they were lucky to even make it to that balcony,’’ Batt said.

“Let's put it this way,’’ Batt added, ‘‘hadn’t the smoke alarm

The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage to the townhouse. About $50,000 in damage was caused to the townhouse’s contents. An adja- cent townhouse received an estimated $10,000 worth of fire, smoke and water damage. gone off, we would have had fatalities. It really saved two lives.”

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