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Published on 10/21/1996 All articles from this issue

Anatomy of a sign ordinance: why armadillos are deflated

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By Julianna Fleming

Special to the Town Crier

Armadillo aficionados and Maytag Man devotees will have to look elsewhere to admire their favorite inflatable characters. Because these large, lovable mascots violate size and design provisions of the city's sign ordinance, they can no longer grace the rooftops of local businesses in Los Altos.

While the Armadillo Willy's armadillo and Gregg's TV & Appliance's Maytag Man were deflated voluntarily by both businesses to serve other promotional gigs, their removal points to the breadth and complexity of the city's lengthy sign-governing code.

According to Jim Mackenzie, a Los Altos city planner, signs are defined broadly under the local sign ordinance. Any outdoor sign, banner or object intended to attract attention to a business must adhere to specific guidelines of design and size. All such signs must be reviewed and pre-approved by the Planning Commission, which determines if a sign is compatible with the location of the business. A permit to display a sign is contingent on the commission's approval.

The sign ordinance reads more than 30 pages long and covers everything from size to lighting to display. For example, the permitted dimensions of a sign depend on the size of the building, the location of the commercial property and where the sign is displayed on the building.

Restrictions on signs have been in place since 1969, and the ordinance has evolved over time to reflect general community standards. While the ordinance may seem limiting, Mackenzie pointed out that Los Altos's sign ordinance is quite moderate, falling somewhere in between Carmel's restrictive statutes and Las Vegas's permissive sign allowances.

Due to the lack of awareness of these regulations, the city's approach to enforcing the sign ordinance is mainly educational. Richard McKim, a code enforcement officer with the Los Altos Police Department, said local businesses are issued verbal warnings and given time to remove signs before any kind of formal citation is issued. Businesses understandably want to promote themselves and attract customers, but often don't realize that even temporary signs fall under the ordinance, McKim said.

Unfortunately for the armadillo and the Maytag Man, Los Altos has no plans to revise its sign ordinance in the near future. Admirers will just have to keep a watchful eye out for the inflatables at other Armadillo Willy's and Gregg's locations.