SEQUIM — City officials are removing sandwich-board signs and other temporary signs from public rights of way, the public works director said.
Removal began last week, said Paul Haines in an email.
Signs are taken to the City Shop at 169 W. Hemlock St. in Sequim and can be picked up at that location.
Questions can be directed to the city Planning and Public Works departments at 360-683-4809.
The sign removal is to improve motorist safety, Haines said.
“The city has received numerous complaints about sandwich-board and other temporary signs that are being placed in the roundabout medians and at other intersections,” he said in his email.
“The signs are a distraction to motorists and impair their line of sight.”
The first signs to go will be those located near intersections that are surrounded by crosswalks or where crosswalks could be striped, he said.
“The city will review this approach for its effectiveness in improving safety over the next several months,” Haines said.
Sequim’s current ordinances prohibit any permanent or temporary portable signs that block or interfere with pedestrian or vehicle traffic or are on public rights of way, Haines said.
Revised sign ordinance
The city is collecting feedback from the community on a revised draft of the sign ordinance.
If adopted, the ordinance would restrict temporary portable-sign locations, the number and size of signs allowed and, in some cases, hours of display.
To see a copy of the draft ordinance, which is on the city of Sequim website at www.ci.sequim.wa.us, visit http://tinyurl.com/6l63ggm.
Comments can be sent to Craig Ritchie, city attorney, at critchie@ci.sequim.wa.us.