They’re not hard to spot along the streets in Bend: Signs advertising various businesses and services. While they may serve a purpose for businesses, they also can clutter and obstruct the public right-of-way. City staff are now educating business owners and enforcing the sign code in the public right-of-way.
Doing that work are two long-time city employees who have come back in different roles. Retired police officers Sandi Baxter and Mike Walsh are now part-time Code Enforcement Officers and have been on the streets working with businesses.
The program works like this: If a sign is in the right-of-way, a city representative will take the sign, bring it back to the business, and talk to the owner about the sign code and how to comply.
After this warning, if a business puts the sign back in the right-of-way it may be confiscated. Any sign obstructing curb ramps and sidewalks will be immediately confiscated with no warning.
So far the program has been a success. Baxter and Walsh come to the job with 30 years of experience each in dealing with the public in a positive way. Code enforcement can save money and be more effective by hiring part-time employees with experience instead of one full-time employee that may have to be trained.
Galveston and Newport Avenues are great examples of how the program is working. Both were cluttered with multiple a-frame signs. Now, the public rights-of-way are clear. Code Enforcement officials say that over 150 businesses have been contacted since the program began with 95 percent positive reaction.
Sign code: www.codepublishing.com/OR/Bend/?bend09/Bend0950.html
Contact:
James Goff
Senior Code Enforcement Officer,
City of Bend
541-312-7969, jgoff@bendoregon.gov
