Presenting The Industry Perspective

1. Presenting The Industry Perspective By: Ken Peskin

2. Who are We? • Greater DFW Sign Association represents 30+ local, regional, and national companies operating in the north Texas area • In addition to companies serving the local market needs, DFW sign industry features several large “export businesses”, building products for other cities and states • Sign manufacturing in Texas is a $746 million industry, with a payroll in excess of $190 million (Probe Economics/ISA 2008)

3. This Isn’t a Sign Issue; It Needs to Be a BUSINESS Issue • “Signs” aren’t viewed favorably by city officials and politicians • At best, officials are ambivalent or consider them a “necessary evil” • Communities restrict all sorts of things that are unpopular or undesirable (multi-family housing, liquor stores, adult businesses) • Though “signs” aren’t important, successful businesses are VERY important Adequate On-Premise Signs = Successful Businesses

4. On-Premise Signs are the Lowest Cost Form of Advertising

5. How To Make the Signs=Business Argument • Small businesses are most dependent on on-premise signage advertising • Only form of advertising for many businesses • 1997 UC-San Diego study measured benefits to business from on-premise signage • New façade signage increased sales 2.5%-7.1% • New pole sign increased sales 4.9%-12.3% (attributed by researchers to enhanced visibility) • Interior directional signs enhanced sales 4.0%-12.4%

6. Sign-Increased Sales Benefit Community • Based on Pier 1 study in TN, inadequate signage cost: 30% of gross sales, 81% of profits, and … • Total State Taxes $66,000 $46,200 • Total County Taxes $5,616 $4,320 • Total City Taxes $29,613 $20,910 • Total Taxes Paid $101,229 $71,430 Inadequate signage can cost almost $30,000 in unrealized tax payments to government from just one retail store

7. Use Value of Signs To Educate Potential Allies • Local Businessmen • Compete with national retailers w/o help of economies of scale or targeted media buying • Chamber of Commerce • Vibrant business community attracts additional businesses; higher business tax collections lower personal taxes • Bankers • Inadequate advertising lowers success rate of new businesses • Commercial Realtors • Lack of signage limits opportunities for reuse • Developers • Multi-tenant developments need adequate signage allowance for all tenants

8. Questions About All Sign Codes • Can any business obtain a sign? • Is the sign visible? (At night? With parked cars? Through landscaping?) • With proper signage, can the business achieve its maximum economic potential? • Does the sign (or system of signs) allow the business to communicate a message of temporary or short-term interest? • Are illegal signs subject to citation and/or removal?

9. Allowable Sign Area • Size minimums should be determined as factor of driving environment (speed limit, lanes of traffic) • Minimum size required for visibility and timely response • Simple Env. (25 mph, 2 lanes) 50 ft2 • Complex Env. (40 mph, town commercial area, multilane) 128 ft2 • Multi-lane Env. (40 mph; urban commercial area, multilane) 200ft2

10. How does Sign Code Interact with Landscaping and Parking Regulations? • Clear line of sight is basis for many standards • Real-world situations often cause sign to be obscured • If tree cover, shrubbery, cars, or street furniture block signs, accommodations need to be made • Industry-distributed model codes discourage monument signs based on safety impacts of obscured signs