I hope Chick-Fil-A can provide the respect for the community in North Knoxville as they reportedly did for the Bearden community. Why do businesses make us all work so hard to keep a community feel?

email the knoxville sign ordinance task force: (link...)

and also tell your councilperson

and stay involved in your neighborhood association too. Fountain City Town Hall tried to stay on top of signage matters when i lived there; i assume they still do

Nick Della Volpe responds to Chick-Fil-A at the above emails. He forwards a copy:

Dear New Business Venturers,

Welcome to north Knoxville.  I watched with interest as the old shopping strip development went down along Broadway and your new building got started in Fountain City.  Another exciting re-development of a vibrant older community.

Then, I began to hear complaints from my constituents.

They ask: Why do they need a 40-ft sign?  Don't they realize we want to beautify our area of the city?  We want to add sidewalks, and help green up our community.

Please don't turn this historic part of our city into a truck-stop style venue. 

Get it?

As a community, We are moving to more modest monument style signs.  They are still quite visible to the traveling public, and they make for a better community feel.

On behalf of Fountain City, the 4th council district, and indeed all of knoxville, I ask you to rethink this huge pole sign decision.  We want your presence in our community to be a win-win situation.  Work with us. Examine the new Chick-fi-a sign on Kingston Pike.  It's quite noticeable and its monument size sign provides a more attractive, people-size feel to the business presence.

Once again, Welcome. Begin by being a good neighbor.

Thank you
Nick D

Nick Della Volpe, 4th District
5216 Crestwood Drive
Knoxville, Tn 37914

If you sent an email to Chick-Fil-A about the Fountain City sign, please also forward it to their Real Estate Manager at mitzi.johnston@chick-fil-a.com

I wish all backlit signs were outlawed. We have too much glaring lights to enjoy the beauty of the night.

Nick Della Volpe forwards email sent to the property owner:

From: Nick Della Volpe
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 6:30 AM

Mike,

Hope all is well. I understand that you own the property upon which the new Chick-Fil-A is being built on Broadway. I think everyone feels that will be a great addition to the area businesses, and food choices.

However, a number of people in Fountain City and elsewhere in Knoxville, are concerned that Chick-Fil-A’s main office in Atlanta plans to use a 40-foot road sign to advertise this business—essentially, because they can under Knoxville’s current sign rules (an ongoing task force has these rules under review). That height seems clearly excessive, given the nice neighborhood and park environment, and the slower traffic that moves along Broadway. By contrast, the new Chick-Fil-A built in Bearden has agreed to, and has built, a more people-sized monument sign in front of their building. I hope you’ll take a look at it. It’s very visible and inviting. It doesn’t overwhelm the skyline or needlessly add clutter to the environment. It works. It adds to the community’s attractive setting.

A number of folks, including myself, have asked Atlanta corporate to do the same in this new location on Broadway. The clearly identified building wall signage, plus an 8’ or 10’, or even 12’, sign is more than sufficient to advertise what is being sold (the building ID info screams: I’m a Chick-Fil-A). Thus far, they have balked, insisting that they legally can have a huge sign. That’s true, but not really community spirited.

So, the question for you, good sir, is can you help persuade your new leasee to help beautify Fountain city’s already improving appearance and landscape? As a community, it is time we move towards a people-friendly Charlotte look, and away from the more brash Pidgeon Forge 60’s dinner look.

Mike, we all win in the end, if we make our city more attractive, more liveable, more people-friendly to trade in. There is no real business need at this neighborhood location, at a much slower traffic pace, to adopt the huge, 60 MPH truck-stop style signage. This is a people-scale environment. Let’s all work together to transform ourselves to that next level. I bet when you and your family travel, you appreciate being in an attractive town environment.

Thanks for listening and thanks for all you do in Fountain City.

Regards,
Nick D

Nick Della Volpe, 4th District
Knoxville, TN 37914