Federal Way Sign Ordinance: Not Rocket Science

I’ll be brief: Real estate open house signs are a time honored tradition. The regulation thereof should be simple and straightforward. Her is how I would propose that any municipal and/or county sign ordinance should read.

1. Open house signs shall be no larger than 24″ by 24″;
2. Said signs shall bear the name of the licensed real estate brokerage that owns and places said signs;
3. Signs shall not be placed in a manner that impedes foot traffic, or that causes undue distraction to motorists;
4. Hours of placement of said signs shall be limited to 9:00AM to 6:00PM. Signs that are left outside of the the prescribed hours will be confiscated. Confiscated signs may be recovered from the jurisdictional authority by payment of a penalty per sign in the amount of $10.00.

It is unconscionable that Federal Way authorities would arbitrarily target open house signs at a time when this relatively new municipality is losing over 1,000 jobs at Weyerhauser, its largest nearby employer. This, coupled with an unusually slow market has many home sellers hamstrung with virtually no way to promote their properties for sale in the traditional manner. Agents are facing tougher times than they have in years, and open houses are the one way that they can keep working, networking, and promoting their listings in a professional manner.

It is understandable that Federal Way is concerned about signs. Many retail businesses have resorted to A-board type signs to enhance visibility while Pacific Hwy South (99) has been under construction for many months. Excavation, heavy equipment, blocked lanes, dust, barricades, paving machinery have all combined to make 99 a bit of a war zone, uninviting to those that would visit the many small businesses along this corridor.

The problem is the haphazard design, size, placement, and hours that these businesse are using A-board type signs in an effort to keep from going broke. If the business owners were properly educated and adhered to the regulatory points above, all should be able to co-exist.

Another common offender the marketing of new construction. New construction sites are often held open several days a week. Prooblems arise when agents/site representatives get complacent and rather than remove their signs, they will sinply fold them and lean them up against the nearest telephone pole, street sign or retaining wall. This is unacceptable, not to mention unprofessional, and a poor reflection on the many agents that dispatch and recover their signs in a proper manner. Such signs should be susceptible to confiscation.