HARRINGTON, Del.- The City of Harrington is proposing stricter sign restrictions on its businesses in city limits.
Some of the signs that would be prohibited are signs that compete with traffic signals, light up signs that have animation, banners, A-frame or signs on wheels, and sandwich boards.
The ordinance also includes a section about signs painted on or attached to vehicles.
JD Sign Company is a business that would have to move two vehicles if this ordinance passes. A trailer on route 13 and a sign that is built on the bed of truck.
"The first thing a business needs to open is a sign, so the public knows that they're open," said owner Jason Dean.
However, Dean said regulating what kind of signs can be put up in Harrington will hurt businesses.
"If everybody was doing well and everyone had plenty of money in their pockets I'd say yes," he said. "And if everybody had a job, I'd say maybe we need to look at these regulations and tighten them up. But that's not the case, were all struggling out here now."
Harrington City Manager Teresa Tieman said the city is not trying to hurt business. She said the city does want to eliminate visual clutter and keep signs looking consistent throughout the city.
"We want to make a sign ordinance that is pro-business, that makes it attractive for businesses to come here and helps our customers and citizens to find things that they need to find and we want to make it safe on the roads in communities by doing that," said Tieman.
Business said the regulations are too stiff, especially for the digital light up signs they already have.
The Harrington City Council will discuss the sign ordinance Wednesday at a workshop and vote on it next week.
