SCREAMING FOR ATTENTION—Temporary signs up and down Thousand Oaks Boulevard and throughout the city are popping up because of the slow economy. Mayor Dennis Gillette said municipal officials agreed to look the other way so businesses could attract more customers. Code compliance manager Geoff Ware said T.O.’s statutes are being enforced, but city layoffs have reduced his staff by one. The smaller crew makes it tough to enforce the laws, so the city often waits for complaints by residents. NANCY NEEDHAM/Acorn Newspapers Although temporary signs and banners on the exteriors of city buildings are illegal, they are covering Thousand Oaks in ever-increasing numbers.

The reasons for the current popularity of the signs may vary slightly, depending on whom one talks to in city hall, but everyone blames the slow economy.

Although he doesn’t remember discussing the issue at a public meeting, Mayor Dennis Gillette said allowing temporary signs to pop up all over Thousand Oaks is endorsed by city leaders despite a municipal code to the contrary.

“It’s a direct response to retail needing to enhance visibility as a result of the economy.”

Gillette knew of no official announcement about the city’s new policy but said news of the city’s reluctance to enforce the temporary sign code has most likely spread to businesses by word of mouth.

“We decided we needed to be more tolerant of retail by being more lenient of temporary sign enforcement due to the unique economic times we’re in,” Gillette said.

During City Council meetings, staff has said the city wants to see more advertisement on its streets. The city added banners to light poles promoting Civic Arts Plaza and other events. City Manager Scott Mitnick had also brought up during a council meeting the possibility of putting advertising at city bus stops.

Allowing businesses to ignore the city’s ordinance prohibiting temporary signs hasn’t been on the City Council’s agenda.

Some residents have expressed concern that temporary signage in the city is getting out of hand and is starting to make Thousand Oaks look more like Simi Valley. Simi Valley allows larger signs and less landscaping around their businesses than Thousand Oaks does.

“I will not respond to that because that is an insult to Simi Valley,” Gillette said.

The front of Westlake Village buildings aren’t decorated with streaming banners, paper signs or brightly waving flags.

Code compliance manager Geoff Ware said temporary sign enforcement halted in 2008 when one of the five code enforcement officers was called up for U.S. military service and went to war. That employee returned, but recent layoffs at the city eliminated another officer, bringing the number back to four.

“We don’t have enough people to proactively enforce signs like we used to,” Ware said.

The department now waits for a complaint before it takes action, he said.

When a complaint is heard, code enforcement sends out a letter to the business making it aware that “an inspection of your property has revealed the presence of a condition(s) considered to be in violation of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code.” The letter continues to say the city seeks voluntary cooperation.

The violator is told to “discontinue placing any temporary sign out for display” and describes the sign that’s in violation of city law.