A proliferation of ever larger store signs along State Street has the Bismarck City Commission considering regulatory ordinances for the problem.

Mayor John Warford and commissioners found themselves fielding complaints concerning the new Gateway Mall sign on State Street. At Tuesday's meeting the commission determined it has little or no way of regulating signs that are built on private property.

Warford said he received communications from Gate City Bank and Kentucky Fried Chicken who are concerned that the new Gateway Mall sign blocked the view of their signs.

Gateway did have to request permission for the sign because it was built on an easement given the city for utilities. But the city's concern regards any threat to the utilities, not surrounding businesses.

While the city has an easement, Gateway remains owner of the property. The city's policy is to allow property owners to do what they want with the surface of the property, as long as it doesn't interfere with the utilities. And it was determined the sign did not pose a problem.

City attorney Charlie Whitman said the city never checks sight clearances for signs, other than related to traffic. There are no regulations on whether a sign blocks the view of other buildings or signs.

"I've consulted with Bill Augustad (permitting department), and we're not aware of any ability for the city to regulate that issue of signage," Whitman told commissioners.

"If we had actually finished work on a sign code and had standards, that could give us the ability to regulate," Commissioner Sandi Tabor said. "This has been a problem for me, though not specific to this instance. There's the whole issue of signs, and what we think is OK for the community. I'm not enamored with that sign (Gateway's) and hope the Planning Department will try doing something with a sign code."

Commissioner Connie Sprynczynatyk said that, since the sign doesn't impact utilities, the city didn't have a say in the matter.

"I agree with Sandi. I have driven the area on a number of occasions, and it's troubling," Warford said.

Gateway Mall manager Cheryl Hansen said the mall has been working with its tenants to resolve the issue over the sign. She said Gate City is a tenant of the mall, though KFC owns the property it sits on. Hansen doesn't share the commission's position that the proliferation of signs is a cause for concern.

"When you travel State, it's a maze of signs," Warford said. "I met with the Gate City Bank people, and they are troubled it could affect their business. By the same token, we have nothing out there to be essentially the sign police, to offer anything on visual obstruction of signs. I've thought about this a lot, if we could come up with something. But what is obstruction? Ten percent, 20 percent, where do we draw the line?"

Tabor asked what would stop Gate City from putting up an even bigger sign. "How much bigger can they get?" she asked.

Sprynczynatyk also suggested that the planning department put the issue on a front burner. The city is in need of regulation before matters get much worse, she said.

Businesses are spending large sums of money on signs only to have them blocking each other, Warford said. He asked that the planning department look to see what other cities are doing and bring a report back to the commission.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)