Allyson Ballard reports from the Coupeville Town Council meeting of Tue., Feb. 10, 2026 for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity AI
Coupeville’s town council held a lengthy discussion but took no action on a proposed sign code amendment governing A‑frame, or sandwich board, signs. The draft would classify them as portable signs, allow one 24‑by‑36‑inch sign per licensed business with a permit, and require they stay near the storefront, avoid blocking traffic, and remain neat and well maintained. Debate centered on preserving the town’s aesthetics, ADA concerns, and how to regulate sign content while respecting First Amendment protections. Some councilmembers and business owners highlighted the marketing and economic benefits of sandwich boards, while others worried about clutter and inappropriate or noncommercial messaging.
They Said It
“The sidewalks are barely ADA-compliant as they are,” Mayor Molly Hughes said [referring to the amendment’s restrictions on obstructing the flow of pedestrian or vehicle traffic.]
Whether the amendment’s language is strict enough to keep portable signs cohesive with the town’s aesthetics — what Councilmember Jenny Bright called the “spirit” of the matter — was up for debate.
Hughes opposed any amendment to the town’s sign code, calling it a “huge mistake” because people may try to take advantage of it.
Evan Henrich and Kristo Allred, the council’s newest members, supported it.
Henrich reasoned that some commercially irrelevant sign messages — like the “cutesy quotes” Hughes brought up as an example — could be an expression of the personality that makes Coupeville unique. Marketing today is about the “economy of attention,” he explained.
“That’s how business works. … You gotta have marketing, you gotta get people in the door,” Henrich said.
Signage helped Allred figure out businesses’ hours when he first moved to Coupeville, where many open late or close early, he said.
Although she advocated for sandwich boards’ commercial benefit during July’s meeting, Bright made her concerns about the aesthetic component of the amendment clear on Tuesday. She suggested staff explore whether the code could regulate “noncommercial language” on signs, phrasing she observed in other municipalities’ sign codes.
Councilmember Rick Walti’s opinion of the amendment’s commercial benefit remained unchanged since July [when the council last discussed the topic]; signage may attract more people that want to spend money in Coupeville, he said.
