Lower those Golden Arches, New Port Richey says

NEW PORT RICHEY — The Golden Arches at Southgate Plaza have reached toward the heavens for nearly 40 years.

The city wants them 20 feet closer to earth.

On Tuesday, the City Council voted 4-1 to require the McDonald's restaurant to reduce the height of its pole sign to 30 feet. The decision is part of an effort to spruce up U.S. 19.

"That big yellow M just kind of stands out," said council member Rob Marlowe.

The fast-food giant had come before the council because it plans to tear down the building and put a sleeker, modern one — complete with earth-tone colors and awnings — in its place.

As part of that project, McDonald's wants to put up new building signs and make some changes to its existing pole sign, which stands at 50 feet.

These additions and changes required the approval of the council, which a few years ago adopted an ordinance that limits the height and square footage of signs along the highway.

The aim of that ordinance is, as council member Marilynn deChant put it, to "clean up and freshen" U.S. 19.

McDonald's existing pole sign had been grandfathered in, but because the restaurant was making a new request, it needed the council's permission to continue keeping the sign at 50 feet.

Things have changed since McDonald's first came to town in 1969. Besides the adoption of a sign ordinance, Southgate has gotten a makeover, and the shopping center is home now to a popular Cracker Barrel restaurant and a Starbucks.

Council members and a couple of audience members said Tuesday that they didn't see why McDonald's should continue to have a sign that is out of character with the rest of that shopping center.

Cracker Barrel, for instance, has a 30-foot-tall sign.

"It's the highest sign out there," former council member Bob Langford said of the McDonald's sign. "It's totally against … the sign ordinance."

Mayor Scott McPherson cast the dissenting vote. He said he didn't want to force McDonald's to lower a decades-old sign when the company is making a major investment in redeveloping its building. He said he also believes the sign ordinance is too restrictive.

A McDonald's representative said the company wanted to keep the 50-foot height because it feared that a shorter sign would be less noticeable.

Said council member Judy DeBella Thomas: "I don't think anyone has ever had trouble finding McDonald's."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.