A speaker at the Signal Mountain Town Council meeting last night presented some very interesting information about the council’s new bigger and brighter vision of our commercial area. Councilman Spalding presented a list of sign changes to the Design Review Commission that the council wants and several of those items were approved last night.
Still to come on the list are light boxes, larger signs, taller signs, illuminated signs, and reader boards. Apparently, there has been no discussion among the council and little public awareness that these changes are in the works.
At the DRC Open Houses held a few years ago, the public responded that they wanted our commercial area to be tasteful and reflect a small mountain town. If they wanted the town to be lit up with large signs glowing in the night and reader boards, they would have indicated that to the DRC, since the open houses were held to gather feedback to update the sign regulations.
Why would this council think their vision is more important than the public’s?
The speaker described a sign that came before the DRC, but was not approved. It was a foot with an infected toe. This sign had to be changed before it was approved. It belonged to Councilman Spalding, the foot doctor, who supports these sign changes.
I thank the DRC we don’t have to look at something like that when we drive down the street.
And Councilman Chris Howley, who wants to get rid of the DRC, has his pet project, a reader board, on the council’s list. He says it has a mountain stone frame. Wow. As if that will make it acceptable.
Mr. Howley already has the design drawn up, even though reader boards are prohibited and one was unanimously turned down by the council when the high school was built. That is a lot of trouble for a sign that is not allowed, so he must know something we don’t. He must be very confident he already has the votes on this town council to get a variance, if he needs one.
I urge the citizens to contact your council members and make your opinions known, no matter where you stand. The look of our commercial area should be a reflection of what our community wants, not what some on the town council want.
Beth Morel
Signal Mountain