THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 16, 1995 TAG: 9503160008
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
On March 21, City Council will conduct a public hearing on changes in the city ordinance controlling signage in downtown Norfolk.
This proposal of a two-faced, electronic variable message board has been reviewed and rejected by the Norfolk Design Review Committee; the City Planning Commission; the director of civic facilities; Ray Gindroz, urban design consultant; John Lees, public sign study; and Jonathan Barnett, urban design adviser. How has the matter come this far? The advice of professional experts and citizens' boards has been disregarded.
The Garden Club of Norfolk has long been interested in the beautification of our lovely city. Since 1915, many community projects and gardens have been established, funded and supported by sour club. We strongly object to a large, electronic sign on city property which would allow commercial advertising 49 percent of the time. At our March 6 meeting, the membership voted unanimously to oppose any change in the existing ordinance.
At the very time that so many citizens are working to revitalize and beautify downtown, at the moment that public and private funds are restoring the Chrysler Museum garden and the historic house gardens downtown, we don't need this out-of-scale and inappropriate visual pollution.
We strongly urge our City Council to vote no to this proposal.
SARA GREER, chairman
Conservation and beautification
The Garden Club of Norfolk
Norfolk, March 14, 1995 by CNB