Mike Jones Ford to Rethink Size of Proposed Billboard for Dealership

Toccoa Ford-Lincoln dealership owner Mike Jones is going back to the drawing board in hopes of gaining City approval to put up a billboard along the 17Bypass.

Jones said Tuesday he hopes to work with city officials to come up with a solution after his sign variance request was denied at Monday’s City Commission meeting.

“That’s probably the road we’re going to take with it,” he said. “If you take the size that the City has in the ordinance now, you’re not going to be able to see the sign to where we think it really grabs the attention of the motorists, but yes, we’re going to go back. In fact, I had a call from Fairway this morning that there may be some things that we can look at.”

At their regular meeting Monday night, the Toccoa City Commission overrode a City Planning Commission recommendation to approve a variance request by Jones to erect a 672 square foot billboard behind the Waffle House.

According to the variance application, the billboard would consist of two panels, each 336 square feet.

The Toccoa City ordinance allows for a maximum size billboard of 160 square feet or 320 square feet for two panels.

During the public hearing Monday, Lynn Mathews of Fairway Advertising told the Board the sign would be 35 ft high and sit on the empty lot Jones owns across from his dealership.

Jones explained the billboard would sit behind the Waffle House and only be on one side facing north towards Habersham County. He said it would be visible to motorists nearing the left-turn lane to Memorial Drive.

Jones says the size of the sign is the result of Georgia DOT restrictions.

“The dilemma that we’re in is the position of where we’re having to put a sign because of the Georgia DOT right of way restrictions with regard to sign size and visibility,” he told WNEG News Tuesday. “I understand they (G-DOT) have a taller pole that we could use, but that doesn’t help with the traffic flow and I worry it would put people in jeopardy of having to look up that high to see that sign. That’s why we’re asking for the sign to be bigger, not the pole to be taller.”

Joe Ferguson with the Stephens County Foundation said his group is opposed to the size of the billboard, and said it goes against a County plan to ban billboards on what is now known as the Currahee Parkway.

“Our concern has to do with the size of the sign,” Ferguson explained. “The County did agree to a prohibition ordinance against billboards along the new 17. We’re not anti-business, but simply want to preserve the asthetics of 17 that we worked so very long for.”

Commissioner Jeanette Jamieson noted though that that stretch of the 17Bypass is within the City limits and it is up to the City to decide whether billboards are placed there.

Tim Hale with the group, Toccoa-Stephens County Tomorrow also opposed the billboard saying the large sign would constitute what he called “sight pollution.”

After more discussion, Commisisoner Jamieson motioned to approve the Planning Commission’s recommendation, but it met with opposition.

“I just feel like this sign is five times bigger than our ordinance,” noted Gail Fry during discussion. “Isn’t there some way we can compromise?”

Commissioner Terry Carter also expressed concerns about the size of the proposed billboard.

“This is a difficult decsion,”  Carter said. “If anybody believes in small business, I do because that’s how I eat. We all appreciate everything Mike does for this community….So when I say that, it’s not that you’re anti-business or that you don’t want to help small businesses. But I have a problem because I’ve been contacted by several people in the community who are concerned about the size of the billboard. When those concerns are expressed, we have to stop and look at the big picutre as well. I feel like you need signage.. and I understand why you need a billboard-type sign…and I support you and want you to have a billboard, but I think it should be more in line with the current ordinance.”

“I appreciate what you do for the community,” said Commissioner Evan Hellenga. “But I agree with just about everything the Toccoa Tomorrow group brought up. It’s not a matter of if, but when the next group comes asking for a sign variance…I am pro-industry and pro-business…but I too have a problem with the size of the billboard and we do have ordinances for a reason and I think we need to honor them.”

Mayor David Austin seconded Jamieson’s motion, expressing support for the Planning Commission’s recommendation.

“The reason we have a Planning and Zoning Commission is to look over these matters before they get to the City Commission,” said Austin. “I was chairman of that commission many years ago. They look at everyting and we expect them to do due diligence and examine these things that come before them. It’s been my policy to honor what they tell us.”

Planning Commission member Angie Garland said their decision to approve the variance had to do with the location of the proposed billboard and the auto dealership.

“I have served on the planning commission for a number of years. I was part of the new sign ordinance. We worked on that diligently for years….The reason I voted to approve Mike Jones’ request is because of the specific area where this is located to give him some access. ..A lot of thought went into awarding a variance to Mike…. I think we need to take a good, hard look at how we treat businesses…Let’s give people a break…I want Toccoa to be beautiful, but at the same time, I want to support our businesses.”

After discussion, the City Commission voted 3-2 against approval with Carter, Fry and Hellenga voting no.