Just what Oro Valley needs! The Tucson business community, with all its natural beauty of strip malls and signs with more colors than a box of crayola crayons, sees fit to tell us what WE should do with our sign code.
No other than Paul Parisi, who had the misfortune to face two recalls during his short tenure on the OV council, is leading the charge.
Click here to read The Explorer article.
12 comments:
The Chamber of Commerce should be coming up with idea's and plans to increase profits for their members . How is changing the sign codes going to do that?
Business is not doing well because consumer confidence is down and job loss rate is increasing.
Seems like the Chamber is looking for a easy fix for a complex problem or maybe the Chamber is just not thinking outside the box or maybe they are just lazy!
I guess the only issue that the NPCCC can occupy their minds with is the fantasy that night lit signs after 10 pm bring in 'extra' business to businesses that are only open till 6-9 pm. I would like to see statistical proof that what they are advocating will, in fact, create more business for a given entity that is NOT OPEN after the above times. Having been in retail for over 40 years I will firmly state that, by experience, it will not.
Have these businesses that have signed on to this crazy assumption progressed into 21st century methodology that it is the internet (advertising and web sites), the phone book, correctly placed advertising, AND WORD OF MOUTH that drives success?
Now, having said the above, how about this for a proposal: any business that wishes to stay open 'till 10,11,12pm or all night for that matter, can have their sign lit during those (their) hours of operation; those that don't, can't. Any takers out there? Hmmmm........
Just think, OV dreamers, we can become the Las Vegas of schlock.
It just occurred to me: why stop at cheapo 'crayola' signs - why not allow for blinking neon? That'll light things up.
Viva Oro Valley! :) humor
If we're going to have lit up signs all night long, we may as well open a casino or two in town. At least that way the people would gain something from the intrusion of all those lights. I understand that Nevada has low property taxes and no state income tax due to all the revenue generated from the casinos.
How about 'Burma Shave' style signage along what's left of the Oracle Road scenic corridor (lit, of course)?
Here is a letter I wrote to the AZ daily star. It may be published soon. I am shocked, shocked that anyone would want Oro Valley to look like Tucson. Let' face it folks, this is paradise lost.
"Dear Editor: Reference your Sunday 2 August editorial regarding a Development Template.
The citizens of Tuscon, and indeed the entire region, have been failed.
Failed by the mayor, the city council, by Rio Neuevo, the developers, and failed by anyone and everyone who is associated with the disaster which has engulfed our downtown.
Linda Ronstadt is right, Tucson has become a dusty, overdeveloped wasteland surrounding a ugly city center festooned with broken promises, half hearted attempts at rejuvenation and undeveloped opportunity.
The Arizona Daily Star Editorial on Sunday provides us with a sad tale. The latest squabble between the Rialto Theater and developers Martin / Stiteler echos the Peggy Noonan memorial vacant lot which echos The Borne Partners dust bowl. The sad tale goes on and on with little or no hope for a positive outcome.
Where is clear thinking leadership? Where is vision? Where is cooperation? Alas, not here. When the wing-nuts in Phoenix take away our development money and leave us with nothing but tumbleweeds, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. After all, we voted for these morons and we continued to vote for them after they proved they could not restore our downtown area."
Why, may you ask is an Oro Valley resident bitching about Tucson?
Well, I believe a vibrant city center is a positive to the enitre region. Music, arts, nightlife, only enhance the value of the suburbs. That is why I support Tucson as well as Oro Valley.
Doesn't the Chamber have anything worthwhile to do?
Occasionally, I have the opportunity to drive in Oro Valley after 10pm.
Everyone is sleeping.
The roads are empty.
Those who are on the road simply want to get home to go to bed.
Turning off the signs after 10pm will reduce business cost and have zero impact on their sales.
Amen,Nombe; amen Zee Man!
Great letter, Nombe. I agree that Tucson is a pit and its leaders have no vision. This could have been a great southwestern city, with Spanish-influenced architecture painted in beautiful Mexican colors surrounded by a serene desert landscape. Instead we get ugly industrial-looking buildings.
I also agree that having a vibrant downtown 20-30 minutes away would have "enhanced the suburbs." I once lived in the suburbs just 20 minutes outside Providence. There was always something to do on the weekends between the nightlife, the world-class restaurants, the riverwalk, the art scene, the museums, etc. and it was a great selling point when selling a home in the nearby suburbs. You could live in peaceful surroundings and still be in the center of the action in just 20 minutes.
I love the beauty of Oro Valley (what's left of it anyway) but am frequently bored here. While it's a great place for the athletic types, there isn't much in this area in the way of cosmopolitan entertainment.
The art museums in Tucson are dull and much too small. I visited them once and have no interest in going back. There is also no parking anywhere near the museums. The city is poorly designed. The zoo is adequate but nothing compared to the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence.
This being a tourist destination due to the great weather, it seems to me that we could have done so much more.
VC
Let me join the amen glee club.
You said it well.
Nombe
My first reaction is what business is it of the Tucson Chamber of Commerce to comment and recommend to Oro Valley how to govern and regulate business within the city boundaries?
Nombe Wantanabe has a solid list of Tucson cities shortcoming. This clearly identifies why the founders incorporated Oro Valley in 1974, a fight all the way up to the Arizona Supreme Court, to be unique and independent of Tucson!
Granted our town has had past tendencies to develop in a manor similar to Tucson, being pulled by either incompetence or special interest. We need to keep our city council stocked with “common sense” individuals who support the town and constituents best interest. In particular in this case there needs to be a balance between business and the residence in the immediate area. Agreeing with the experience of Zev, leaving the lights on all night isn’t business critical.
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