WALB has a piece on the crackdown of the Albany sign ordinance (video here). Now, I haven’t liked the sign ordinance since the day it was enacted. Personally, I feel that it’s your yard/business property so do what you want with it. What really is getting to me is the idea that the city of Albany will “permit” me to have up to three signs in my yard. Gee, isn’t that nice?
If we are to ever have true freedom, we must preserve property rights. A persons rights to manage their property is, at it’s heart, a simple matter. You own it, so you are free to do with it what you will. Libertarianism, in particular, is based on this idea. Things like the sign ordinance are a direct assault on these rights. Frankly, there is no way to convince me otherwise.
What I don’t understand is the blatant assault on businesses who desperately need every advantage they can get just to stay afloat in this economy. Banners and signs that cover more than a certain percentage of their windows are in violation. The argument is that signs distract drivers and cause accidents, which I find amusing since that is an excuse I have never heard for why someone was in an accident. As someone who isn’t a police officer, I tend to get a more honest response.
The thing is, I can’t help but see this as a slippery slope. Sure, right now it’s about signs. But what’s next? Hopefully, nothing. But perhaps next you won’t be allowed to put up a sign proclaiming your faith to the neighbors, or perhaps a building permit to just paint your house? Maybe your kids will need to call the city to get permission to go outside and play, rather than get yours.
Yes, this sound ridiculous. To me, the current sign ordinance is just as ridiculous. If people don’t pay attention to the road because of a sign, then prosecute them for violating the traffic laws. If these advertising signs don’t attract attention, they will go away soon enough on their own.
Let’s allow people to decide what they put in their own yards, and let’s allow businesses use their signs to attract business during the worst economic climate since the Great Depression. We need to trust people to be mature enough to handle the responsibility of operating a motor vehicle. If they can’t, then prosecute them. I know I sound like a broken record here, but I just can’t see how it’s that difficult a concept to grasp.
New businesses, which are vital to improve Albany’s economy, don’t give a darn about what kinds of signs are in people’s yards. They care about things like crime and taxation. Focusing on what looks to many like silliness isn’t going to attract new businesses. It’s just going to make people wonder what the City’s priorities really are.
