Sandwich boards OK; feather flags not

BLYTHEWOOD – After passing an amendment on first reading, June 24, to the town’s sign ordinance to allow sandwich board signs and eliminate feather signs in the town limits, council further tweaked sign regulations before passing second and final reading 5-0 on Monday evening.

Town Administrator Brian Cook added a definition for sandwich board signs to include, “any A-frame sign consisting of two boards hinged at the top hanging back to back. Such signs are generally oriented to pedestrians.”

“Our businesses have really already been using these, but we’re spurring this on to make it legal for them to do that,” Mayor J. Michael Ross said. “This will allow them to advertise a lunch special or 10 percent off. Then they have to take it in [after business hours.]”

Other regulations for sandwich board signs have also been added to the sign ordinance.

Cook said one sandwich board sign is permitted to an onsite commercial owner/operator only during business hours. The sign shall not be taller than three feet and/or wider than two feet, with a maximum of two sign faces.

Under the new rules, the town reserves the right to remove any sign which causes interference with vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or in the event of any emergency situation, or that interferences with any work that is to be performed on the public sidewalk and/or right-of-way by or on behalf of the town.

Sandwich boards must be placed on the business’s lot, at least five feet outside of the right-of-way and must be constructed of a material and weight to ensure general stability. The signs are not allowed to block visibility.

Feather Signs

Cook said feather signs are not going to be allowed in the town going forward. The sign ordinance has been amended to eliminate banner, feather flag, festoon or display placed on any curb, sidewalk, post pole, hydrant, bridge, tree or other surface located on, over or across any public street or right-of-way, or placed on stakes on a property, unless it is a permitted temporary or grand opening banner.

The sign ordinance is available online at townofblythewood.sc.gov or at town hall.