Businesses in the Seafair Shopping Centre in Richmond have been asked to remove their sandwich boards from the sidewalks over complaints of not following city bylaws.
As per sign regulation bylaw for the City of Richmond, sandwich board signs should only be displayed for the first 30 days after a business opens. The signs should also be kept off sidewalks and city property and can only be used during hours of operation.
But some sandwich boards are being used by businesses in some areas and the bylaw isn’t being enforced, Coun. Laura Gillanders told council at the Sept. 10 community safety committee meeting.
“I think it's confusing and I don't think (sandwich boards) should be prohibited. I think that we should look at changing (the bylaw)… as long as it's not blocking wheelchairs or strollers,” she said.
“Sandwich board signs are not permitted in almost every instance except when a business first opens there's a short period of time when it is permitted for a new business,” said Mark Corrado, director of bylaws and licencing for the City of Richmond.
Individuals with wheelchairs, however, have had accessibility issues with the signage being placed outside businesses, Coun. Alexa Loo told the committee.
The Richmond Centre for Disability Executive Director Ella Huang said that many of their members expressed concerns at how inaccessible sidewalks in the city were. As businesses started outdoor seating to allow social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sidewalks became even more cluttered, Huang said.
While sandwich boards are regulated, they do not require signed permits as per the city’s bylaws.
“We want good businesses for our community, but accessibility is also very important. We need a balance between the two so that everyone will benefit from the different rules and bylaws in our community,” Huang said.
Gillanders said that while it is “critically important” to ensure people with wheelchairs and strollers don’t experience accessibility issues, sandwich boards often help people spot their favourite businesses.
She said an “outright ban” on sandwich boards isn’t working since many established businesses are still using them. More than 13 businesses on Moncton and Chatham streets in Steveston had sandwich boards outside their establishments, Gillanders said. While some of these businesses were new, many were also long-time businesses.
“It's not right if some business owners have to take (sandwich boards) down and others are leaving them up. And clearly, the business community is railing against the bylaw if that many businesses are just continuing to put theirs up,” Gillanders said.
Gillanders said she is going to speak with other councillors and business owners in the community and ask city staff to look into the issue.
Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected]. To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter. Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
