Courtesy of Smog Busters
The Smog Busters facility at Rainbow Boulevard and Russell Road is obscured by a palm tree. Company representatives say that the roof sign is necessary for their business to remain visible to passersby.
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 | 12:05 p.m.
The Spring Valley Town Advisory Board denied two applications for Smog Busters to keep its roof signs after concerns about "excessive signage."
Smog Busters - Rainbow/Russell
Smog Busters - Decatur/Hacienda
The Spring Valley Town Advisory Board unanimously recommended denial of two applications Tuesday night that would allow a local emission testing company to keep its roof signs.
Smog Busters is a family-owned and operated business with 22 locations around the Las Vegas valley. The company, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, came under county scrutiny after public complaints were filed about the roof signage at two of its facilities in the Spring Valley area.
The 4-foot-high roof signs – which were erected about one year ago, according to a company representative – were found to be in violation of building codes. To keep the signs, Smog Busters requested waivers of development standards at the two facilities, located at the intersections of Russell Road and Rainbow Boulevard, and Decatur Boulevard and Hacienda Avenue.
“They’re very small facilities, so we try to draw attention to them tactfully,” Lisa deSantiago said on behalf of the company. “We’re a small business. If we can’t put signage up, we run the risk of closing.”
DeSantiago pointed to the Russell and Rainbow location as having a particular need for the roof sign because a palm tree covers the view of the building. The tree is owned by the property owner, R&R Convenience, Inc., which is leasing the land to Smog Busters.
“We can barely be seen behind the palm tree … it’s very poor visibility,” deSantiago said. “I don’t want them to cut the palm tree down. Yes, it can be trimmed, but it will continue to grow.”
Spring Valley town board members took issue with what they view as “excessive signage” at the two Smog Busters facilities. County staffers recommended denial of the application.
“I really sympathize with someone who wants to make their business visible, but I have to agree with staff on this one,” said Duane Laible, a town board member.
“In essence, the sign creates a two-story building. It’s really looking junky,” said Lee Plotkin, a town board member. “I appreciate the competitive environment we’re in now, but the level of signage is too much. It’s just an unsightly precedent to allow this.”
The application will be heard before the Clark County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 22 for final action.
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