The Observation Deck

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:03 pm**

One particular business outside from outside of Lakewood has been attacking Lakewood
businesses and streets with garbage and illegal signage. My question is when civic
groups work so hard to clean up DowntowN, and Lakewood businesses have to jump through
hoops just to get temporary signage what alone sign review for even window signs how
fair, and or how legal is this attack?

It started with light signs on trailers parked around the city in high traffic areas, and now
comes to rust buckets and cars that are unsafe and unsightly parked in DowntowN.

How about a little action.

These are being parked on a Friday night and left until Monday, then moved and parked
all week long, then back for long stays on the weekend.

Why enforce Lakewood sign laws and turn your back to this?

.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:28 pm**

Jim, are we sure that is an outside business. I could very well be mistaken but I seem to think that proprietor lives on my street. I do not have very sound evidence just a hunch. I will agree that one could not come up with a tackier advertising campaign.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:54 pm**

I see. According to the website there does not seem to be a franchise location in Lakewood...

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:50 pm**

Jim

No Lakewood location. Worked with him to get one. He recognizes Lakewood's buying power. I understand I guess why, but the campaign is just hideous, and goes against
everything a Lakewood business is allowed to do.

.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:29 pm**

I started seeing this "campaign" starting about 3 weeks ago. They parked these cars at Walgreens and 5/3 Bank at Warren and Madison. My initial assumption was that this was an advertisement for an auto body repair shop.
I hung around and saw a tow truck, and a city car respond to the 5/3 location. Seemed to be a lot of interaction between somebody and the tow truck driver--perhaps payment responsibilities.
The car at Walgreens was removed.
Then another one appeared at Marc's Plaza for awhile. Then at Sherwin Williams.

Turns out that I think this is a promotion for a physical fitness spot-----------who wudda figured?

Maybe take down the phone number supplied, dial it, and hang on for ---- an hour or so.

This has got to be the queerest promotional gambit I've ever seen.

I don't know about laws on the books regarding parking junked cars, advertisments, etc.

But, spread the word------you don't want to patronize tacky businesses.

S. Austin

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:26 pm**

That truck was sitting right outside of Players about a week ago. Wanted to get a photo of it but I didn't have my gear with me.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:29 pm**

Ivor Karabatkovic wrote:That truck was sitting right outside of Players about a week ago. Wanted to get a photo of it but I didn't have my gear with me.

Was it the brown truck? Because I saw it outside of Players too and wanted to take a picture but my camera sucks, oh and I didnt have it with me. LOL.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:48 pm**

I've seen these junkers around town also, they are an eyesore. I did see one by Aladdin's last week with a parking ticket on it. I wonder how many tickets they will end up having.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:55 pm**

This isn't exactly a new phenomena isn't exactly new. The dry cleaner at the corner of Elmwood and Madison has been parking a box truck with a sign on it prominently in the front corner of his lot for years, it doesn't seem to get much use but as a sign. I also seem to remember a small foreign car this LO marketing on it parked for hours on end in a public parking lot behind Rozi's.

Is it that this is not a Lakewood business that is offensive or that the condition of the vehicles is not up to your standard or is it the message?

Are you suggesting we begin to regulate vehicle signage? Who would be the policing entity,? The police, building dept., or a selected community gadfly?

We could allow only Lakewood business to advertise on their vehicles within our borders. Make UPS and Fedex cover up when they enter Lakewood. Only Lakewood HVAC contractors in our town.

Bill

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:20 am**

Bill Trentel wrote:This isn't exactly a new phenomena isn't exactly new. The dry cleaner at the corner of Elmwood and Madison has been parking a box truck with a sign on it prominently in the front corner of his lot for years, it doesn't seem to get much use but as a sign. I also seem to remember a small foreign car this LO marketing on it parked for hours on end in a public parking lot behind Rozi's.

Is it that this is not a Lakewood business that is offensive or that the condition of the vehicles is not up to your standard or is it the message?

Are you suggesting we begin to regulate vehicle signage? Who would be the policing entity,? The police, building dept., or a selected community gadfly?

We could allow only Lakewood business to advertise on their vehicles within our borders. Make UPS and Fedex cover up when they enter Lakewood. Only Lakewood HVAC contractors in our town.

Bill

Bill

I would think that there is a slight difference between a Lakewood business and
Lakewood taxpayer advertising a Lakewood business, than a business that stayed
out of Lakewood because of taxes, coming and parking a car secured from a junk
yard on the streets for days.

But then that is my opinion,and we are all entitled to them.

I suppose some of my outrage comes from other practices of this group. Like parking
a trailer with a large lit up sign opposite of the YMCA night after night, and never
applying for a temporary sign permit, that any other business in Lakewood would have
to apply for.

In my humble opinion a slight difference between a Rozi's deliver truck parked at Rozi's,
a Model T with Around the Corner parked in from of Around the Corner, a Silhouette
Dance Studio Van parked in front of Silhouette Dance, and yes even my wife's LO Mini
parked in a spot we pay the city $600 a year for.

If Lakewood were to make it illegal, I would respect those laws. In the end, all I am
asking the city to do is apply the same sign laws to businesses outside of Lakewood
with signs here as Lakewood businesses do. As I found it distasteful, I put it here for
discussion.

I also see this as the beginning of trend, like A-Frame Signs that were illegal for years,
then started popping up here and there, then started in pairs, then moving into the streets
then on top of cars, etc. I think it trashed the city up. The same could be said for banners. You used to have to apply for a temporary sign license, which was normally
for signage up while your actual sign went through approval process, or a limited
period of time. Now we see them riveted to buildings as permanent year round
signage.

I own a sign company, that can supply all of the signs we are speaking of the only
A-Frames I have delivered in Lakewood are the two the Lakewood Library has, as
they have enough space to use them on their property. They were not charged.

But again, just my opinions.

.

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:24 am**

Who's to say it's not illegal?

From the Lakewood Codified Ordinances:

541.08 BILLPOSTING.

(a) No person shall affix any advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description upon any telegraph, telephone, railway, electric light pole, street sign or other permanent fixture in the streets or alleys within the City, or place or affix in any manner any advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description, upon any voting booth, public building or sidewalk, or within the street lines of the City, or over which the City, or Council thereof has the care, custody or control, unless and until such person first obtains a permit from the Director of Public Safety.

Application for such permit shall be made to the Director of Public Safety upon forms prepared by him and shall set forth:
(1) The name and address of the applicant.
(2) The period of time that such advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description is to be displayed.
(3) The area within which such advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description shall be attached or displayed.

Each application shall be submitted by the Director of Public Safety to the Chief of Police for his recommendation. The Director of Public Safety may issue a permit for the purposes herein provided, if he shall find that the issuance of such permit does not interfere with the general welfare of the citizens of the City, provided that the applicant shall first have furnished bond or policy of insurance in form and amount satisfactory to the Director of Law, indemnifying and saving harmless the City from any and all liability by reason of or arising out of the issuance of such permit.

No permit shall be issued hereunder unless the applicant agrees thereon that:

A. No advertisement, poster, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description, other than those set forth in the application, shall be used.

B. No advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description shall be so placed as to obstruct or interfere with any sign erected and maintained under requirements of law or ordinance.

C. No advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description shall be erected and maintained except in conformity to the permit and to the approval of the Director of Public Safety.

D. No commercial advertising shall be permitted on any advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description.

E. All advertisements, posters, signs, handbills, garlands, placards or objects of any kind or description shall be removed promptly upon expiration of the permit.

The section shall not apply to any advertisement, poster, sign, handbill, garland, placard or object of any kind or description required by the laws of the State, or by the ordinances of this City. (Ord. 51-56. Passed 5-21-56.)

(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

Seems to me, this is an "object of any kind" placed "within the street lines" "without a permit" and is "commercial advertising" - which is a minor misdemenor.

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:33 am**

I understand now, I didn't realize the constitution had a price list. $600 a year gives you the right to visually pollute the landscape with your message.

The fact of the matter is our commercial sign ordinance is part of the building code. The Building Dept. doesn't regulate legally licensed and parked vehicles on public streets.

There is nothing stopping any Lakewood business from utilizing this same technique of using their vehicle as a rolling billboard, gee you already know that. It's probably one of the oldest forms of advertising.

Bill

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:49 am**

I'd hope $600 a year would allow you to drive to work and park your car at your place of work.

Maybe that's just me.

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:52 am**

Bob Mehosky wrote:Who's to say it's not illegal?

Seems to me, this is an "object of any kind" placed "within the street lines" "without a permit" and is "commercial advertising" - which is a minor misdemenor.

The statement "object of any kind" in this ordinance refers to the type of sign not what is placed on.

The "issue" is signs on vehicles parked on our streets and I don't see a difference between the provided example and the hundreds of vehicles with advertising on them on our streets every day. Yes they are ugly and serve no other purpose but to advertise but I can point to hundreds of similar advertisers, some "taxpayers" in Lakewood some not.

Bill

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:59 am**

Advertising via a rolling sign is one thing.

Tying up a parking space to advertise is taking potential business away from local establishments or creating an inconvenience to residents.

You want to advertise, get a legal billboard, or pay someone to drive around the city all weekend.

The Observation Deck

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Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

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Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

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Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders

Re: Lakewoodites and Lakewood Businesses Trashed By Outsiders