Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 21, 1991 TAG: 9103210201
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Council, which received the request from the Planning Commission, agonized for nearly a half-hour Tuesday over whether to allow advertising of a sale on a balloon at the Book Cellar at the Market Place Shopping Plaza for 10 days instead of the month or so that the manager requested.
Scott Pearce, who has operated the Book Cellar since it opened March 9, requested that he be allowed to display the balloon at the shopping center between Hardee's and the Market Place entrance now through April.
The balloon would be tethered, touching the ground, and would be illuminated at night.
"We need to produce revenues," Pearce told council. "And it will take more than one week to have an impact."
Pearce said he has found that the large display sign is an eye-catcher and draws people to the shopping center and the Book Cellar, which is one of several owned by P&K Book Stores Inc. in Powhatan.
But the attention-getting aspect is what bothered Planning Commission members, who said it would distract drivers. They voted last week to recommend that council allow Pearce to have a sign permit for one week.
"Traffic is not the only consideration," said Planning Commission chairman Jack Via, also a council member. "We have frequent, severe wind storms and there is a possibility of a wind-related accident."
Via also was concerned about policing the sign to make sure it was displayed properly and said whatever decision council made would set a precendent for other such requests.
Town Manager John Lemley, on the other hand, was more concerned with the length of display time. He said such unusual sign requests are limited to 30 days under the town's Outdoor Advertising Ordinance.
Pearce compromised and asked for three-day weekend display stints, instead of daily advertising. But council voted unanimously to limit the balloon display to 10 days over two weekends.
Pearce did not feel council's action was fair and after the meeting said, "Why does it matter? If the statute says 30 days, why can't I have 30 days?
"The idea of the balloon is to see it, pull in and find out what it's all about," Pearce said. "The idea is not to slam on your brakes while you're driving in traffic and say, `Hey! Look at that!' "
by CNB