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For
over three decades the New York State Sign Association (NYSSA)
has advocated on behalf of the sign-making industry. The lobby promotes
sign-friendly legislation and zoning and helps educate sign makers.
According
to Paul Pici, President of the NYSSA, the organization has between
75-80 active members and is part of regional and national organizations
including the International Sign Association (ISA)
located in Virginia.
Pici
says his organization is active in lobbying against what he calls
‘inappropriate legislation,” or legislation that limits
freedom of speech by banning different types of signs. Zoning is
an area that frequently affects small businesses and the sign makers
who provide them with advertising.
“For small business the major part of advertising is their
sign, 75% of their advertising is either word of mouth or their
signs,” he says.
The
ISA, founded in 1944, also funds research into the economic value
of signs and the “scientific and technical aspects of signage.”
According to the ISA web site, the sign industry is well-regulated
by many government organizations and “there are more than
80,000 communities across the U.S. regulating signage in their jurisdiction.”
Pici
says size and materials are the two elements of signage for which
most neighborhoods enact zoning laws. With regards to zoning in
New York City, he says, “My guess there is none, it’s
like Vegas, if you have the money you can put it up.”
Members
of the NYSSA based in New York City (Pici is not) might benefit
from a quick look around the admittedly complicated New
York City zoning laws.
In
January 2001, a special group at the Department of City Planning
was set up to enforce renegade sign posters who violate zoning laws,
such as advertising in residential areas.
Aimed
at advertisers (it won’t, for example, fine the Department
of Transportation for putting up pedestrian warning signs), the
group issues violation summons to building owners and outdoor advertising
agencies alike. Breaking zoning laws is fairly dangerous business:
fines can get as high as $10,000.
Susan
Long, the acting Director of Padlocks and Signs, says the group
has issued over 6,500 violations since January 2001. Which is good
news for us—fewer advertisements mean more time to spot those
all important danger signs.
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