JUST how much signage should be allowed to wrap condo projects in West Vancouver split council Monday, as four councillors voted to trim the size of signs for the Evelyn project.
Two developers were before council Monday to ask for permission to build signs and wrap their fencing in graphics, something council has to approve every time since the type of signage isn't included in the district's bylaws.
But while Pacific Arbour got just what they asked for, Onni's more ambitious plans for six 20foot-tall flag poles and two large "monument" signs were too much for council's tastes.
Craig Cameron proposed an amendment to nix the flagpoles first, but keeping a fence wrap that will decorate the construction fencing and advertise the website and phone number for Onni.
Coun. Trish Panz suggested reducing the size of the two large signs from four-by-nine and eight-by-eight feet respectively to six-by-four feet each.
Both amendments were passed with the votes of Couns. Cameron, Panz, Nora Gambioli and Mary-Ann Booth.
While Cameron said important information should be displayed, "commercial signage to the greatest extent possible should be limited in the community."
John Adams, a nearby resident, also spoke against the signs, calling them too big and a traffic hazard - something staff disputed. Adams said some of the signs will be built on municipal land and argued the district should be able to receive fees for that.
The rest of council, including Mayor Michael Smith and Couns. Michael Lewis and Bill Soprovich opposed changing the sign sizes.
"They have to not only build, but have to sell, so this is part of the process," said Soprovich.
Beau Jarvis, Onni's vice president of development, briefly addressed council before the amendments and tried to speak again after Cameron proposed changes, but was told he couldn't address council after a motion was on the floor.
After the vote, he expressed frustration at the way the change was made. "It's difficult when we don't get a chance to explain what we're doing," he said, adding the process would be much easier for his company if the sign bylaw specifically addressed condominium signage. "What we're really trying to do is renew the confidence in the marketplace as well as the community and the signage is an important component of our market. In fact about 75 to 80 per cent of our sales traffic actually comes from site signage."
