[AZ-Observing] In My Usual Diplomatic Style
- From: "Chuck" <astrogeoc@xxxxxxx>
- To: <evac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 22:40:37 -0700
Called take no prisoners! Here is what I have sent to the brillant thinking
officials of Mesa.
----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck
To: mayor.hawker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: councilmember.walters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; councilmember.whalen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
; councilmember.kavanaugh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; councilmember.jones@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
councilmember.griswold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; councilmember_thom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
mike.hutchinson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; debra.dollar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
paul.wenbert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 10:36 PM
Subject: RE: 80 foot signs doting Mesa
80 foot signs doting Mesa?
Mr. Major, City officials and council members,
I find the proposal regarding signage along freeways most unusual considering
this same idea was proposed within the state legislature and received no
support this past summer. The same thing was proposed in Tucson and again was
unsupported. It would appear that those who stand to profit from sign sales
are bound and determined to profit from lighting up the highways in one place
or another in Arizona.
I can remember when Lady Bird Johnson wanted to beautify our roads and highways
by the removal of such garish and unsightly signs. Most have been removed or
fallen down and been hauled away over the years since this national action.
Now suddenly Arizona is being deluged by attempts to light up the heavens by a
certain segment of the business world. To once again create eyesores along our
freeways and roadways basically for the almighty dollar of those who would
sponsor and build such signs. And the communities who see dollar signs of
course!
First of all we don't need Las Vegas style lighting, streaming video and
scrolling messages of 12 foot much less 80 foot signs along any freeways or
corridors in the entire valley including Mesa. I have heard it said as an
excuse that there are some along the 101, 202 or 60. If so, then I must be
blind even with better than 20-20 vision as I certainly don't see them in the
east valley such as those proposed.
Second, these kind of lights are definitely not "freeway landmark monuments"
and whomever came up with that definition should have their head examined for
sanity. Oh they may be landmarks alright, a landmark for disgraceful thinking
and bowing to profits gained from such a myopic
viewpoint.
Third, if businesses can not survive without such monstrous signage then they
should fold up their tents and get out of the business they are in or move to
Las Vegas. They hit us with enough advertising on all the media as it is. And
then when we, as consumers, arrive at their places of business we find either a
bait and switch tactic or one of a kind and then high pressure sales techniques
for what wasn't advertised.
Fourth, it has been said that certain council members say "it's a balance
between business needs and the desire to preserve resident's views." I would
ask has the learned members who say this ever taken a survey of the resident's
to make such a statement? I rather doubt it! If so they wouldn't make such a
statement! And what businesses are trying to sell this bill of goods?
Fifth, it would appear that this might be in violation of Maricopa County
lighting ordnances already in effect which may or may not affect the various
cities individually. Then again, if there are such ordnances, this ill advised
proposal might just violate legalities. I would also question how individual
cities can put up signage along freeways such as the 60, 101 and 202 whose
corridors are owned, maintained and beautified as well as constructed by the
State.
I also recall that people didn't want the football stadium near the
intersection of the 101 and 202 thus letting an economic boom for Mesa go
elsewhere. All due to traffic congestion on certain Sundays 9 to 10 times a
year in fact but also because of the unsightliness of such a structure and
future surrounding infrastructure. Really far sighted thinking there!Now we
want to bring Vegas type lighting there?
Six, it is a proven fact that flashing or glaring lights and streaming video or
scrolling messages distract drivers along highways. I can just see the
"increased" safety value of these in heavy traffic on the freeways surrounding
Mesa. There are enough distractions now!
And last, a one time fee to Mesa of 3% of a sign's total valuation based upon a
$ 150,000 sign is $ 4,500 and for a
$ 1 million sign $ 30,000 plus a $ 1,000 application fee per sign. It couldn't
be that this is the motivating factor behind this sudden departure from Mesa's
"long held tradition discouraging large signs along the freeways" could it?
I for one will be happy to sign a petition for recall of any elected person
representing Mesa who votes for this type of thinking.
Charles Crawford
President
Earth/Space Scientific Research Institute
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