To help struggling businesses advertise amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Airdrie City council has approved a six-month extension of relaxations for sign regulations that were first put in place in April 2020.
Following a brief public hearing at their Dec. 21, 2020 meeting, council approved an amendment to the City’s Land Use Bylaw that will extend sign relaxations until June 30.
“This will allow administration to review potential changes to the regulations for the affected sign categories with the residents, businesses and development industry representatives that comprise the Land Use Bylaw Stakeholder Committee,” stated the City’s staff report in the Dec. 21 meeting's agenda package. “These amendments would continue the enhanced advertising and communication support for businesses from physical signs for at least a further 90 days.”
Council first approved the sign relaxations at their April 20, 2020 meeting, with an end date of Dec. 31, 2020. According to Community Growth Manager Stephen Utz, the relaxations removed restrictions for using portable, lawn and A-frame signs to advertise businesses and services, and allowed the use of non-profit sign corridors for local marketing purposes. The amendment also removed application fees, which range from $75 to $250, for using the signs.
As of Nov. 15, 2020, the City had received 61 applications for signs in the categories amended by the bylaw, according to Utz's report. Application revenues from before the pandemic and other sign categories generated $17,200 in revenue, the report added, translating to a difference of $7,800 in anticipated revenue from sign applications for the 2020 operating budget.
Presenting to council Dec. 22, 2020, Utz said the relaxations would either have to be extended into 2021, amended or removed. He said City staff recommended extending the relaxations by an additional three months, until April 1.
After Utz’s presentation, Coun. Ron Chapman suggested June 30, rather than April 1.
“I don’t think we’re looking at vaccines being rolled out until probably the summer of 2021,” Chapman said. “I think we’ll be coming back in March and doing this again.”
Utz replied it would be up to council how long the regulations should be in effect. He added administration decided on April 1 because it is approximately the one-year mark since the first economic shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, and because the revenue loss the City would forfeit as a result of the relaxations would not require a budgetary variance.
Coun. Al Jones asked if there’s a way for the City to ensure local businesses benefit from the relaxations, rather than the companies that sell and install the signs. Utz replied that isn’t something the City tracks.
“We certainly identify who made the application, where it’s going and whether or not it’s subject to the approval of the amended bylaws,” he said. “That being said, if a business felt they were not having the savings that should have otherwise been passed on, they would certainly have manners of recourse through the Chamber of Commerce.”
The public hearing only rendered one piece of correspondence. In an email to council, David Lund from Magnet Signs Airdrie wrote that he supported the extension and even feels the relaxed regulations could work permanently.
"These relaxed bylaws are helping businesses be able to get signs out and reach potential customers," stated a synopsis of his letter, read aloud by City Clerk Sharon Polyck. "Airdrie businesses need more help and time to survive. Mr. Lund is receiving many positive responses from businesses and people alike saying the signs are helping and the reduced costs are helping."
Council passed the bylaw amendments unanimously.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
