Gurnee businesses get some leeway on temporary signs

Gurnee businesses are getting another break from village government and now may use temporary signs in an effort to boost sales through the end of April.

Village trustees this week agreed to keep in place through April 30 a moratorium on enforcement of a 14-day limit on temporary signs that businesses use to promote sales or specials. The moratorium began in August.

Considering holiday sales season is approaching, it made sense to extend the sign break to businesses, Village Administrator James Hayner told the elected officials.

"We've received positive feedback from the business community that it helps them a little bit," Hayner said.

Gurnee's retailers, restaurants and other businesses can take advantage of using temporary signs as an extra marketing tool. Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the signs may be especially useful to an eatery seeking to promote daily specials.

At Monday's village board session, Kovarik tossed out the possibility of looking into whether a longer time limit should be established for temporary business signs.

"I think, long-term, 14 days is too short a period for a temporary sign," she said.

Trustee Michael Jacobs agreed with Kovarik's suggestion, saying input could be sought from the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce.

Before the elected officials agreed to extend through April 30 the moratorium on enforcement of the 14-day limit on the temporary signs, Trustee Kirk Morris suggested it only go through January.

However, only Trustee Greg Garner agreed with Morris' suggestion. In the end, Morris and Garner voted with trustees Hank Schwarz, Cheryl Ross, Jeanne Balmes and Jacobs to have the moratorium run until the end of April.

Morris said he'd like Gurnee businesses to seek feedback on whether customers were attracted by the signs.

Businesses must gain village approval for the temporary signs and pay a fee. The signs must be on private property.