Pole signs a thing of the past
Ordinance banning pole signs in 931 corridor takes effect next January
A few years ago, Howard County Plan Commission director Greg Sheline looked at a photo of State Road 931 just north of Markland Avenue. All he saw were signs reaching skyward and cluttering the view.
Pole signs along the 931 corridor will be forbidden as of Jan. 1, 2023
“I think we counted 41 different signs in just one block,” said Sheline. “How do you ever get noticed in that? There are too many signs.”
That view, and political will from city and county leaders, prompted the adoption of an ordinance banning pole signs. But that was in 2016. What happened to the ordinance? Sheline says it never went away; it just had a sunset clause.
“Our sunset clause for pole signs on 931 is coming into play,” said Sheline. “Anyone in the 931 corridor has to get rid of their pole signs by the end of the year and convert to an 8-foot ground sign. We’ve already got a lot of businesses that have complied.”
The idea behind the ordinance was to reduce sight pollution and improve the appearance of the 931 business corridor. To date, 56 pole signs have been replaced or eliminated, but a lot more of them should disappear this year. Kokomo isn’t special in this regard.
“This is happening all over the country,” said Sheline. “Unless you’re on the interstate, the days of needing 50-60 foot pole signs are gone. When you travel, you likely already know what hotel you’re staying at; you’ve already made the reservation. You aren’t shopping for a room. All you need is a simple sign out front.”
Shjeline said he expected quite a bit of pushback from business owners when the ordinance was put into place. He was surprised to find almost no resistance.
“You would think there would be pushback, but we haven’t gotten much, if any,” said Sheline. ”All the new development that has taken place – remodeling, new business – has ground signs. Most people understand. Now that 931 isn’t a bypass, the tall signs aren’t needed.”
Though dozens upon dozens of signs will soon leave the 931 corridor, not all pole signs are affected. Sheline explained that multitenant signs, like those at the Markland Mall and Boulevard at the Crossing, are not included in the ban.
There also are no plans to extend this regulation to other parts of the city. There is no overlay, for instance, along West Sycamore Street, Lincoln Road, or Dixon Road.
Sheline said he is pleased that the ban has worked as intended to date. The view is less cluttered, and not one business has failed because of the removal of a pole sign. In fact, some businesses opted not to replace their signs at all, relying upon the signs on their buildings to do the job.
Every new sign installed along the corridor must be no taller than 8 feet
In the end, not only will the corridor look better, that should translate into increased property values, Sheline said.
“How in the world does this help property values?” said Sheline. “Taking one sign down won’t, but when everybody does and the corridor looks nicer, everyone will benefit. It’s not just one sign. It takes them all.”
The deadline for removal is January 2023; extended one year by Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore due to COVID. Sheline said a courtesy letter will be sent in the next couple weeks to those businesses that have yet to comply. And he knows that still won’t be enough.
“I know that not everyone will go to a ground sign by Jan. 1, 2023,” said Sheline. “As long as they can prove to us that they are actively working on it, that will be good. I’m sure we will get some complaints, but most people know where they’re going before they leave their driveway. Those big signs were for through traffic, which is why they are still viable for interstates. We don’t need them along 931.”
I am so happy to hear this. The 931 corridor looks terrible. Not only the signs but the deserted properties aren’t being kept up. Weeds, trash etc. say’s Kokomo doesn’t care. Who would want to start a business here? Kokomo is going downhill fast. That’s my opinion. It’s very sad.