Public decries sign ordinance

Car dealers, furniture dealers and other small business owners showed up in force to boycott Gilroy’s extensive sign ordinance during a special council meeting Monday night.

The current sign ordinance limits and prohibits many types of advertising including flags, balloons, certain types of banners, directional signs and A-frame signs. 

John Rubio, owner of Fiesta Auto Insurance on First Street, said that the city recently asked him to take down a very expensive, tasteful flag he placed in front of his business. 

“When we took it down, we did see a decline in business,” Rubio said. 

Jacqui Holiday, who does not own a business in Gilroy but came to support other business owners, was especially huffy about the ordinance.

“A-frames and signs are the way that people in Gilroy make a living,” Holiday said. “Downtown is struggling, this would make it worse.”

When Holiday’s three minute allotted time to speak ran out, she walked back to her seat.

“Good one, guys,” she shouted, sarcastically. The crowd of more than 40 burst out in laughter. 

Later, Holiday had another thought, and stood up again, specifically addressing Dion Bracco, who owns Bracco’s Towing on Monterey Street. 

“If we were debating whether all tow trucks had to be white, with no names on them and no colors, would you be voting for this?” She said to Bracco, rhetorically.

Nancy Robinson, real estate agent for Coldwell Banker asked the council to reconsider the part of the ordinance that prohibits direction signs for real estate open houses. 

Councilman Perry Woodward asked Robinson how many signs she thinks are necessary for advertising an open house. Robinson said it depends on the location of the house. 

“I would say that 24 signs per open house would be maxing it out,” she said. The audience, who despite being gung-ho in their opposition to the sign ordinance, roared in laughter at the suggestion of someone using 24 signs for one open house. 

Other people who made speeches to council included Jaime Rosso of Rosso’s Furniture on Monterey Street, Shanna Boigon of the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, Gary Walton, downtown business advocate and Gilroy property owner and Michelle Conrotto, instructor at Invoke Yoga and Pilates on Eigleberry Street. 

While Mayor Al Pinheiro cut people off after three minutes, the shortest speech was less than 10 seconds.

“Without signs, we don’t have a business,” said Deven Yo of Furniture Revolution on Monterey Street. He thanked council and went back to his seat.

Councilman Dion Bracco garnered exuberant cheers after he made an emotional address to council in favor of limiting, or “scaling back” the sign ordinance. 

“If it’s not broke, why are we trying to fix it? More regulation is not good. Let’s roll this back, let’s make it simpler,” Bracco said.

In response to the 11 people who made public comments, and the many more people who showed up to silently oppose, council discussed creating a subcommittee made up of a few council members and a diverse mix of business owners. No motion could be made Monday, however, because the meeting was not a regular council meeting but a special study session.

Further discussion regarding forming a sign ordinance subcommittee was scheduled for the May 21 council meeting, because the May 7 meeting agenda is full, said City Administrator Tom Haglund. 

Until council comes to a decision, enforcement of the sign ordinance is on hold. So meanwhile, business owners: flaunt those blow-up gorillas and flapping flags.