(WSB file photo of Madison’s east-facing gym exterior, where the sign would go)
One month ago today, we reported that the city had approved the four-year-old proposal for a 30-square-foot electronic sign outside the Madison Middle School gym. A group of neighbors has appealed the decision, and tomorrow, they go downtown for a conference with the city’s Hearing Examiner, to prepare for a full hearing in July. We talked with one of the neighbors, Claudia Ludwig, who explained why they’re challenging the decision:
The neighbors have “three main issues,” she explained. First one is the process – since the sign requires a zoning “departure,” a special committee had to be formed to consider it, and Ludwig says she and others who participated didn’t realize it would only meet once but did realize, she said, “the decision had already been made” in favor of the sign. (The official notice for the public meeting last June was headlined “First Public Meeting”; the original 2009 notice seeking volunteers for the committee mentioned “meetings.”)
Second, she says, are the safety considerations – the intersection within view of the sign, 45th and Spokane, has had crashes blamed on “distraction” even without an illuminated sign, and the block by the school has many children.
Third, she says, is an inaccurate statement in the decision contending that neighbors’ concerns were “mitigated.”
Those who sought out the sign, including the school’s PTSA, say it’s to increase communication; a commenter explained further, following our story last month:
If the electronic sign is not approved, then a regular sign will be placed on the outside of the gym wall and no special permitting is needed for that one. Neither sign will block anyone’s view. It’s sad the it has taken this long for something so simple to happen, but that is not the fault of the PTSA at Madison, but rather the permitting of the City of Seattle. To the immediate neighbors of Madison, I truly believe this sign is not going to be the eyesore you think it will be. Quite honestly, having it turned off at night will make it less visible, rather than a regular sign which will display its message 24/7. I would think it would be helpful to neighbors to know of upcoming events like open houses, music programs & science night. If not for a chance for the community to engage in such events, at least for a heads up that street parking will be congested. Yes, there are multiple ways for Madison to communicate with families and this is just another route. We all have our best modes of communicating and this sign is meant to alert/remind the greater community and students, who are not checking our website daily. We also want to use this sign to shout out our children’s successes. Honestly, an old fashioned sign is more work and a waste of valuable staff time to manage. And no, there will not be advertising or video.
Ludwig says she is a teacher and has worked in a school with an electronic sign, and sees no proof that it will increase communication.
She also contends that the world of communication has changed since Madison parents raised $15,000 for the illuminated sign more than four years ago, and also secured a city grant. Many more people use electronic media, including social media, to communicate, she contends, and it’s easier to get messages out.
The process dragged on, documents say, because there was some expectation the city sign code was changing – but it didn’t, so the process re-started, and finally led to the decision announced last month. Ludwig says this is the first such sign allowed in a neighborhood that wasn’t part of a school remodel. And yes, having a view of an illuminated sign is a concern for them too: “We have all remodeled our houses, and put a lot of effort into our neighborhood. For years, we’re going to walk out and see this thing. It’s a frustrating and emotional process.”
As of right now, the full hearing on the appeal is scheduled for July 31st. Ludwig says anyone interested in being part of the process can contact her at ludwig.cm@gmail.com. We’ll be following up after tomorrow’s pre-hearing to see what’s next.
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