Elgin lightens up on signs for car dealers

Elgin city leaders are relaxing some restrictions on signs, banners and other promotions for current and future auto dealers along Chicago Street.

"We don't want to lose our dealerships to other communities," said Mayor Ed Schock. "We know how important these auto dealers are to our sales tax."

Car dealers and gas stations account for 36.5 percent of the city's sales tax each year, said city spokeswoman Sue Olafson.

The city's changes essentially will allow new dealers along Chicago Street to erect larger permanent signs.

For current dealers, restrictions on temporary signs and banners also have been lifted, although prohibitions on large balloons and parking cars on the grassy right-of-way near the street remain in effect.

Some of the rules were put in place because of aesthetics; others were enacted because city leaders feared drivers would be distracted and crash.

The city council unanimously approved the changes to the current rules, which even the city's Director of Community Development Jerry Deering called "very restrictive."

Councilman David Kaptain was a reluctant yes vote. "I think the city council and community should set the standard, not the owners," he said.

Auto dealers saw the shift differently.

Scott McGrath, owner of McGrath Nissan, said he is very happy with the changes. Noting the new automall under development at Interstate 90 and Randall Road, he said the city is working to have two viable clusters of auto dealers.

"They listened to us and they came to the table and they said, 'We'll work through it,'" he said. "They want the viability of this area to be strong. It's in their best interests to let us thrive."

Carey Lynch, general manager at Woody Buick Pontiac GMC, questioned why some of the restrictions were needed in the first place.

"We're in a commercial area. It's a car dealer row," said Lynch, who expects to roll out some new banners and signs this weekend. "There is no residential around."