In less than two months, several Lacey businesses will have to remove their non-conforming business signs, unless the city makes arrangements to allow them to continue.

In 1997, the City of Lacey passed a sign ordinance requiring all non-conforming signs in the city to be removed.  Particularly drawing the city’s attention were pole signs, those tall signs which stick up above the street.  They were prohibited by the ordinance.

Over the years, many of them have been removed as business ownership or use changed.

To encourage the replacement of non-conforming signs, the city established a grant program that would pay businesses up to $2000 per sign to bring them in conformance with city law.   Only one business took the money and the program was ended in 2007.

But the deadline of  December 31, 2010 looms and all of those businesses with non-conforming signs will have to take them down.

The city is looking at several options including extending the deadline, re instituting the grant program and increasing efforts to inform business of the requirements.

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