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Neon Many local sign regulations prohibit neon signs, al- though,in practice,many of those communities do allow in- ternally lighted signs,which are often lit by neon.The goal of such regulations is to eliminate the kind of decorative ` t ' neon work that characterized signs in downtown areas and along automobile dealer strips 30 years ago;it is interesting _ - to note that similar work now decorates the fronts of stores 'YM in malls with careful aesthetic restrictions.Although a very large neon sign can produce a lot of light,decorative neon ' work is typically less distracting to traffic and less disruptive j to neighboring property owners than signs of similar size with other types of lighting.Where and why the movement Ir F against decorative neon began is a mystery, but it is now " common. However, there is some movement in the other a Q direction,often triggered by a desire to revitalize older com- mercial areas and to do so using the same kinds of techniques used in malls—ranging from sidewalk sales to decorative _ neon and flashing signs. Local prohibitions on decorative r-' neon work should be carefully reevaluated in the course of updating sign regulations.' COLORS AND MATERIALS OF SIGNS Some communities regulate sign colors and face mate- rials. Such regulations are less common than the other substantive regulations described above and are most often, but not exclusively,found in relatively exclusive residential . •t suburbs. Some of the more common restrictions are de- scribed here. The most restrictive of sign material regulations require that sign surfaces be wood or masonry with painted or raised messages. Less restrictive sign regulations sometimes pro- hibit plastic sign faces but allow the use of a variety of other materials.The consistency of sign materials is probably a more important effect of such regulations than the choice of k ' particular materials.Regulations addressing sign materials may also specify the materials that may be used in sign supports. Sign regulations may simply limit the number of separate colors per sign,often to two or three plus white,thus reduc- ing the possibility for garish and cluttered signs.Other sign regulations may actually specify the color groups that are ac- ceptable(e.g., earthtones). Communities that do not limit the colors and materials of signs in general sometimes impose such limits in historic districts in order to ensure that signage is consistent with the neighborhood's characteristics. Regulating sign materials and colors increases the prob- .. lems of administration and enforcement.Those problems ` can be solved,however,and should not dissuade a commu- nity that is firmly committed to developing a streetscape of x .. - relatively simple and uniform signs.A community that in- tends to regulate sign materials and colors should develop -, explicit standards—such as lists of acceptable materials and permitted colors—and should not draft regulations simply °'°"•' '" ' ':"° " " giving a review board the power to approve or disapprove sign colors and materials.The risk of arbitrary and incon- • �`. ' sistent decisions,resulting in political and legal liabilities for • • ' ' '"'= - the community, is enormous when an unfettered review process is used to permit or prohibit signs. _ 3.For more on neon signs and on sign controls for historic signs,see Peter H.Phillips,"Sign Controls for Historic Signs,"PAS Memo,November 1988. Z ' 10 A .- E �i= q _ 21