Deal struck to update shopping center sign

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

The owner of a Fayetteville shopping center has agreed to bring his sign in compliance with the city’s latest sign ordinance within 12 months.

And in return, the Fayetteville City Council gave him permission to add a wall sign for a new business at the 692 North Fayette Center.

Ordinarily, changes to signs aren’t allowed —Êeven for a new business location — when one of the signs isn’t in compliance. But J. B. Harlan of Nix Developers said he would change the sign, which is located just off the right of way from the street.

Without the council’s approval, the A&A Asian Market would have to do business without a sign.

The ordinance is designed to encourage businesses to update their signs and make the city’s exterior signs somewhat uniform in nature, Mayor Ken Steele explained.

Harlan said he has replaced signs for other recently-moved businesses but no one from the city told him at that point that the main sign to the center would have to be changed.

“While you may not feel this is fair, we are treating everybody the same way,” said councilman Bill Talley.

Councilman Walt White was the only vote against the sign approval, which was extended to cover any new business locating at the shopping center for the next year. White previously said he thought six months was plenty of time to get the sign changed.