4 ms·

There is a reason why the city licenses exist though. In Chicago, if I recall sandwich boards can cost up to $30k per year. I'm not saying this dog house needs

by lgregg 8y ago

There is a reason why the city licenses exist though. In Chicago, if I recall sandwich boards can cost up to $30k per year. I'm not saying this dog house needs that license but perhaps there should be a fee if you want to put something in front of your store that blocks the sidewalk to pay for the additional inspections needed. NYC also fines for things out of code on the sidewalk. https://www1.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/article/sidewalk-usage-guide https://www1.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/article/sidewalk-usage-guid...

bunderbunder 8y ago
I don't see a specific line item for sandwich boards on the publicly posted fee schedule[1]. But $30,000/year is a good 2 orders of mangnitude more than anything else on that list. [1]: https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/businesslicenseforms/pwu/PWU_Fee_Structure-v.02.24.2014.pdf https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/bu... edit: Looks like they're just straight-up illegal. Some aldermen (including one who's pretty good at getting things done) are working on that: https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06/28/a-frame-sandwich-board-signs-are-illegal-in-chicago-they-shouldnt-be-aldermen-say/ https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06/28/a-frame-sandwich-boa...
- lgregg 8y ago
  I'm not surprised it's getting banned. Lots of the sidewalks around the trains can be pretty narrow and with snow on the ground, it was pretty bad. As for the $30k, that's what someone told me, obviously they were wrong. That said, licenses are still a good alternative for those that want to colonize public space because it gives people a method to apply and potentially start something new like the dog house. It also gives a municipality the opportunity to manage issues by only distributing n per period of time or provide a caveat.
  - bunderbunder 8y ago
    Well, the fine is up to $100, so, assuming you this could possibly get to the point where you get nicked with a fine every day for a year, that would be $36,500.
    - lgregg 8y ago
      I doubt that could happen in reality though because they threatened removal. Ideally, NYC DOT and they city Assembly need to figure out a framework that inverts the policy where anything is allowed, with licensing, except ____. The purpose of fines penalties for compliance failures.
      - bunderbunder 8y ago
        That would be ideal. Though, I think what's going on with A-frame signs in Chicago, where you have to go through your alderman or city council representative to get the change championed, is a more likely model. They have a more direct interest in supporting business in their districts, and a bit more ability to get things done. I don't think that bureaucrats in city hall are malicious, so much as that they are busy, have limited authority, and have very little incentive to put much effort into championing individual causes.
        lgregg 8y ago
        Oh, I agree they're not malicious but they do have power especially aldermen in Chicago. Out of college, I worked at a real estate law firm right out of college for a time and had a first-hand view of the power they've got in city hall along with the power in the county. In the case of NYC, It's normally just not summed up to wanting to use their social and political capital to get dog houses on the sidewalks on the books.

by lgregg 8y ago

bunderbunder 8y ago

I don't see a specific line item for sandwich boards on the publicly posted fee schedule[1]. But $30,000/year is a good 2 orders of mangnitude more than anything else on that list. [1]: https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/businesslicenseforms/pwu/PWU_Fee_Structure-v.02.24.2014.pdf https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/bu... edit: Looks like they're just straight-up illegal. Some aldermen (including one who's pretty good at getting things done) are working on that: https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06/28/a-frame-sandwich-board-signs-are-illegal-in-chicago-they-shouldnt-be-aldermen-say/ https://blockclubchicago.org/2018/06/28/a-frame-sandwich-boa...

lgregg 8y ago
I'm not surprised it's getting banned. Lots of the sidewalks around the trains can be pretty narrow and with snow on the ground, it was pretty bad. As for the $30k, that's what someone told me, obviously they were wrong. That said, licenses are still a good alternative for those that want to colonize public space because it gives people a method to apply and potentially start something new like the dog house. It also gives a municipality the opportunity to manage issues by only distributing n per period of time or provide a caveat.
- bunderbunder 8y ago
  Well, the fine is up to $100, so, assuming you this could possibly get to the point where you get nicked with a fine every day for a year, that would be $36,500.
  - lgregg 8y ago
    I doubt that could happen in reality though because they threatened removal. Ideally, NYC DOT and they city Assembly need to figure out a framework that inverts the policy where anything is allowed, with licensing, except ____. The purpose of fines penalties for compliance failures.
    - bunderbunder 8y ago
      That would be ideal. Though, I think what's going on with A-frame signs in Chicago, where you have to go through your alderman or city council representative to get the change championed, is a more likely model. They have a more direct interest in supporting business in their districts, and a bit more ability to get things done. I don't think that bureaucrats in city hall are malicious, so much as that they are busy, have limited authority, and have very little incentive to put much effort into championing individual causes.
      - lgregg 8y ago
        Oh, I agree they're not malicious but they do have power especially aldermen in Chicago. Out of college, I worked at a real estate law firm right out of college for a time and had a first-hand view of the power they've got in city hall along with the power in the county. In the case of NYC, It's normally just not summed up to wanting to use their social and political capital to get dog houses on the sidewalks on the books.