The proliferation of community and sport groups' signs around Coquitlam has prompted city council to set guidelines on how, where and when they can go up.
At Monday's meeting, council discussed the number of signs up on public property that advertise events and registration. The debate came after the city fielded several complaints last summer about the massing of such signs on street corners, and letters were mailed to organizations that didn't comply with the municipal sign bylaw.
Under the new policy, which was unanimously adopted following recommendations from the city's sports council, groups can now erect their signs at six designated locations:
North Road (east side, north of Cameron Street);
Lougheed Highway and Brunette Avenue (south side, eastbound boulevard);
Mariner Way and Austin Avenue (east side, south of entrance to Riverview Forest Park);
Lougheed Highway, Dewdney Trunk Road and Sharpe Street (west side, southbound, grass space near pedestrian overpass);
Johnson Street and Guildford Way (southwest corner);
and Shaughnessy Street and David Avenue (northeast corner).
Signs must clearly show the event date or registration period and not be up for more than five weeks before that day. And the sign must be gone a week after the event. Groups that violate the policy will be ticketed and levied a $25 impound fee to recover the removed signs.
As well, under the policy, signs should not exceed four by eight feet - a size some councillors believe is too big.
Coun. Neal Nicholson suggested the city limit the signs to three by six or four by four feet. Mayor Richard Stewart also said he would prefer a uniform size.
