The Altadena Town Council and Chamber of Commerce are sending out a letter to merchants and property owners along the Lake Ave. business district this week, warning them that the county inspectors may be coming.
According to council chair Gino Sund, the county Department of Regional Planning may be starting an enforcement effort soon to ensure that signage along the commercial corridor is up to code. The letter is an attempt to give the merchants the "head's up" that the county may be on its way.
Unfortunately, Sund said, many people think that it is the town council itself that started the enforcement action, and that's not the case.
"The County Department of Regional Planning is responsible for the enforcement of the County Zoning Code," Sund wrote in an email. "They normally do not actively survey communities for violations but respond to citizen complaints. There have been numerous complaints to the County about specific Lake Ave. businesses.
"Please note that neither the Town Council nor the Chamber lodged any of these complaints. When the County investigated, they cited those businesses, and observed more violations in the area. As a result, there may be additional citations issued."
Sund said that, when this came to their attention, the town council and the chamber requested that businesses be given warning and time to voluntarily comply with the code.
While there have been complaints about certain signs that violate county codes, such as vinyl banners, merchants along Lake have also complained that the code is too restrictive -- for example, A-frame sidewalk signs, a common feature in many business districts, are banned along Lake Ave.
Copies of the letter follows:
