Businesses want input on potential window signage regulations | Derby Business News

The approved amendments were pushed through with little discussion from the commission or council. However, two changes presented to the commission were ultimately pulled for more review. The steering committee crafting the amendments asked for more time to consider duplex design criteria, while a number of businesses requested further review of a change dealing with window signage during a public hearing at the April 3 Planning Commission meeting when the final proposed amendments were brought forward.

“We just wanted to have input on what they were going to do,” said Derby chamber board member and owner of Derby Overhead Doors Donny Sechrist. “Is there going to be a regulation? Is there not going to be regulation? [Just] trying to figure that out.”

Brock Stuhlsatz, board president, spoke on behalf of the chamber at the April 3 meeting, with the group having been alerted to the potential changes – establishing regulations that would limit the amount of window signage allowed on businesses/buildings – near the start of the year. A couple of chamber board meetings were held prior to the April Planning Commission meeting, and Sechrist noted the issue was pretty well received considering the potential impact on small businesses.

For the chamber board, most of the idea behind the meetings was trying to figure out the best path forward. Sechrist attended a follow-up meeting, as the steering committee reconvened to reopen consideration of window signage regulation updates, and felt that more input was needed.

In pursuing the window signage regulation updates, city staff cited recent studies of the West End and K-15 areas – and feedback heard on sign clutter –driving some of the changes that were pursued. However, Sechrist saw those and window signs as different situations.

“We want to keep Derby looking nice, but a sign on the side of the road or a sign on your building is one thing,” Sechrist said, “but when it comes to window signage I don’t think anybody really notices it driving down the road until you pull into the parking lot.”

Neither Sechrist nor Delmar Pray, director of operations for Ribbit Computers, want to see any percentage-based restrictions on window signage allowed in Derby.

For Pray and Ribbit Computers (2100 N. Rock Rd.), window signage is a significant tool the business relies on to draw in customers.

“It’s 2025 and it’s getting harder to operate a retail business,” Pray said. “All we really have are windows. We don’t have a big building that could have extra signage or anything like that, and anybody who walks into Freddy’s that doesn’t know who we are, we can use that.”

Pray also spoke at the April 3 commission meeting and noted the window signage provides safety benefits as well. Having issues with theft at Ribbit’s west Wichita location, window signage was utilized to block visibility except for at the door, which a security camera was monitoring.

Along with Sechrist, Pray has also been part of the follow-up meetings as window signage regulations are readdressed. For both, they are hopeful there will be no amount-based restrictions, but rather that regulations will simply address appearance and keeping signs well maintained (not ripped, torn, cracked, etc.). Mainly, they just want more time to come to an agreeable solution for everyone involved.

“It’s not that we don’t want to compromise, but we don’t feel like there’s been enough study that shows the benefits that we can have with what we use for window coverings,” Pray said.

“If there’s a medium there somewhere,” Sechrist said, “I just hope we all use clear heads in figuring that out.”

The steering committee is holding an open meeting with business stakeholders at 4:30 p.m. May 20 at City Hall, with the hopes of crafting a new recommendation. Check derbyinformer.com for additional updates.

Editor’s note: This is part two in a series of stories looking at the continued discourse regarding potential changes to window signage regulations in Derby.