Portable sign industry cheers possible amendments to new bylaw

After months of advocacy, portable sign company owners celebrated a commitment by city council Monday night to take a second look at the new sign bylaw, acknowledging it has unfairly singled them out.

“We’re thrilled,” said Doug Hudgin, owner of Classic Portable Sign Rentals and president of the Regina Portable Sign Association. “It’s been a long battle, but it looks like we’ll have some more debate.”

The association has been outspoken against the new sign bylaw since it was introduced, mainly due to distance restrictions.

Under the new bylaw, which was passed Monday night, portable signs need to be at least 30 metres from permanent billboards. This means business owners may not be able to advertise on their property or at sites away from their business that have billboards within close range.

In addition, one portable sign is allowed on lots with less than 90 metres of frontage. If the frontage exceeds 90 metres, an additional portable sign is allowed for every 90 metres or portion of that amount.

City council agreed to pass the bylaw Monday night so it wouldn’t hold up the Regina zoning bylaw, but agreed some changes need to be made to address the concerns of the portable sign industry.

“I agree with them,” Mayor Michael Fougere said after Monday night’s meeting. “I think we’ve tended to single them out and … that’s a legitimate concern.”

He wasn’t the only one. Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli proposed an amendment that directs administration to prepare a report on the implications of three possible changes to the bylaw.

Changes include the elimination or reduction of the requirement that portable signs be at least 30 metres from permanent billboards, the placement of a second portable sign on a lot be reduced from 90 metres to 70 metres, and a moratorium on approving any new permanent billboards until a review of the regulations is complete.

“There’s permanent billboards that are not affected or not discussed at all (in the bylaw) and they are proliferating,” Fougere said. “We need to look at the entire industry and say, ‘What can we do to make it easier, more rational?’”

According to Hudgin, the city manager suggested they meet, and administration has said the portable-sign industry will be consulted as they look at possible changes to the bylaw. He said he’s relieved that council is finally listening.

“I believe a few councillors, due to our personal interaction with them, were more informed tonight and drove around with us and realized the impact to a lot of small business in Regina,” he said. “We’re profoundly grateful for them suggesting the amendments.”

If they are approved, the new bylaw will still result in the loss of some signs, he said, but is seen as a lot better than the “punitive” regulations currently at play.

The sign bylaw was passed Monday night, but council also approved the amalgamation of the sign bylaw with the Regina zoning bylaw.

That was done so at the request of the provincial government, which approved the bylaw with some conditions last month.