Redstone wins support for Hwy. 133 sign

The town of Redstone would be able to erect a sign on Highway 133 under an exception Pitkin County approved Wednesday night during land-use code discussions.The previous code left no avenue for Redstone to place a sign directing people how to get there from the highway. Under the current code, incorporated municipalities are allowed to create a sign, while unincorporated communities are not.Lisa Wagner, who represented Redstone at the joint meeting of the Pitkin County commissioners and the Planning and Zoning Commission, said the lack of signs creates a traffic problem and is a safety issue. Commissioner Dorothea Farris voted for the addition to the code but noted she did not want to see it become a loophole.”[Highway]133 is a scenic byway,” she said. “There are too damn many signs on 133 already.”Commissioner Jack Hatfield, who had made the motion to allow the exception for Redstone, amended it so that it allows a sign advertising only the historic district of Redstone. “Redstone,” he said, “is a very important asset of our community.” Pitkin County made a similar exception when it allowed a 68-square-foot Snowmass Village sign on Brush Creek Road. When that sign was proposed, in early 2000, the county’s sign ordinance didn’t allow it. Pitkin County’s sign ordinance, enacted in the ’70s, is widely considered a success. By making it difficult to build large or illuminated signs, the county has escaped the excess signs plaguing many communities. Joel Stonington’s e-mail address is jstonington@aspentimes.com