Bella Vista City Council OKs sign ordinance
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008
BELLA VISTA — Enthusiastic “ yes” votes by Bella Vista aldermen resulted in the passing of a sign ordinance at Monday’s meeting of the City Council.
After some discussion, and a few wording corrections, the ordinance, which will take effect in 30 days, was approved unanimously at the regular monthly meeting.
Prior to erecting a new sign, business owners and residents should check the ordinance; permits may need to be purchased.
There are penalties if the ordinance is ignored; if the sign is not brought into compliance after 10 days, the owner may be subject to a fine of $ 250 to $ 1, 000 per week.
Current signs, if lawful at the time of their placement, are allowed to remain unless there are changes to the business or the sign becomes damaged.
The ordinance had generated concern from area business people, mainly because of the restrictions placed on the use of banners. It was revised to accommodate them.
The initial work, by the Bella Vista Planning Commission, began in March. The ordinance has been through many drafts, by both the City Council and the BVPC.
Alderwoman Arline Hutchison had expressed concern that some areas of the ordinance may be too lenient.
“ If someone wants to take advantage of (it ), then we’ll have to adjust it downstream, ” Mayor Frank Anderson said.
A nuisance-structure ordinance also passed unanimously. It provides the city with the authority to impose fines, and to condemn, remove or place a lien on property that is deemed a nuisance by the City Council. The ordinance will go into effect immediately.
The fines will be $ 250 to $ 500 dollars per day.
In other business, the council took the following actions:
• Proposed an ordinance to regulate false alarms at businesses or residences if more than three are recorded during a six-month period, with the ordinance to be enforced by the Bella Vista Police Department and offenders subject to a fine of $ 100 per violation;
• Passed a resolution allowing Anderson to contract with Costello Land Surveying and C. E. I. Engineering to develop plans for the repair of Gosforth Drive and Scalloway Drive; and
• Received a final accounting for the special census, completed in February, with a total cost of $ 431, 070. The city currently receives state turnback funds of $ 49, 000 per month and will continue with that same amount until the new census figures are available, probably not until 2011.
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