Burke: Signs, signs, everywhere signs

What do visitors first see when they drive into Pahrump from Las Vegas on Highway 160?

Lots and lots of signs.

Big signs, little signs, new signs, old signs, homemade signs, professional signs, signs attached to signs.

Living here I think you get used to seeing them and they sort of fade into the background. I decided to take a drive heading north on Highway 160 to take a fresh look.

Starting before Spring Mountain Sports Ranch you see large commercial billboards. Clean and modern but they dominate the skyline and certainly block the scenic views of our mountains. Continuing north just past the racetrack you will start seeing signs of every possible type and configuration. This plethora of signs continues all the way along Highway 160 clear out past Bell Vista. Even down our side streets you see signs everywhere.

Some of the signs are clearly abandoned, outdated, faded, vandalized, or just plain unattractive.

Why so many signs?

I am all for entrepreneurship and capitalism. Marketing and promoting your business is a cornerstone of attracting customers and increasing your business. But if your business sign is tattered, unprofessional, or randomly placed are you really projecting a good image for your company? Is it really going to reach potential clients when it’s buried amongst dozens and dozens of other signs?

In reading over the Nye County regulations regarding signs I found the following: “All signs must be approved by the planning department. Temporary and A-board signs are permitted only in special circumstances for a limited period of time. No signs are permitted in county or state road rights of way and will be removed and destroyed without notice. Other sign violations are subject to removal at the owner’s expense.”

The county website gives additional information about the requirements for signs, including that you must own the property or have written permission of the property owner to apply for a permit to install a sign. You must also meet county standards with regard to how the sign looks. You must submit a plot map of the sign’s location.

I am making a guess that based on the location, type and quality of many of the signs along Highway 160 and our side streets, that many are unpermitted and not legal. Our county planning department has neither the time, personnel or resources to become the sign police of our community.

Instead, we should let businesses know if their signs need repair or replacement, and we should contact property owners to see if they are allowing unpermitted signs on their property. There is probably a mechanism in place to fine property owners for signs on their property that do not meet county requirements.

I am normally loath to push the enforcement of regulations at people but cleaning up many of the existing signs and reducing the mass of signs along Highway 160 would greatly enhance the appearance of our community. There are more effective ways for businesses to reach customers than plastering our roadways with signs.

Tim Burke is a businessman, philanthropist, educator and Pahrump resident. Contact him at timstakenv@gmail.com