The great sandwich sign scoop is stirring up downtown London.

City bylaw officers confiscated 49 sandwich-board signs, mainly in the core, in a crackdown on Monday.

That sparked sharp protests from store owners, especially when they were told they would have to pay $175 to get their signs back.

Kayla Gibbens, the new owner of Uber Cool Stuff on Dundas Street, accused the city of being heavy-handed in taking away her sign. Officials should have told her to move or remove it instead of taking it, she said.

“It was the first Monday I was open and they took my sign. It was a slap in the face for trying to make more business hours downtown.”

Sandwich board signs are an affordable way for small businesses to draw walk-in traffic, Gibbens said.

Uber Cool Stuff is a few doors down from the former Kingsmill’s building that Fanshawe College is renovating to expand its downtown campus.

The disruption caused by ­construction increases the challenge of getting people to come in off the street into her store, Gibbens said.

She said she tried to comply with the city’s rules for sandwich board signs but they aren’t clear about the need for a licence.

An information package delivered to businesses said, “It may be necessary to complete a licensing agreement and certificate of insurance.”

Gibbens said she wouldn’t pay to get her sign back because it’s likely cheaper to have another one made.

Orest Katolyk, the city’s bylaw enforcement manager, said downtown businesses were warned in April they would have to ­ ­comply with rules for sidewalk signs.

City officials visited stores and dropped off information, including specifics on the size and placement of signs, he said.

A licence and proof of liability insurance is required if the sign is on city property. The city doesn’t charge for the licence, Katolyk said.

“There was ample communication. In the past, we have mailed these notices. This time we went a step further and hand-delivered and discussed the matter with store owners.”

The signs and canopy bylaw has been around since 1991 and is intended to ensure safety and ease of access to public sidewalks, Katolyk said.

The city does a crackdown every few years, he said.

“We get complaints from people in wheelchairs or walkers and need a clear path on the sidewalk.”

Many store owners do follow the rules for sandwich-board signs, Katolyk said.

Gord Mood of L.A. Mood on Richmond Street discovered his sign was missing Tuesday morning.

He said he has complied with the permit for sandwich-boards signs for years and had his insurance company send in an annual notice of renewal of the liability insurance.

Mood said he isn’t sure what happened this year and thinks the city may have changed the procedure for renewing permits. He said he likely won’t pay $175 to get his sign back.

“It makes you wonder why you should comply with these rules if they are just going to take your sign anyway.”

Janette MacDonald, manager of Downtown London, said the association received advance warning of the sign crackdown and sent out notices to members. She said she was surprised at the number of signs that were confiscated.

Sandwich board signs can clutter the streets or get blown over by the wind, posing problems for people with mobility issues, MacDonald said.

“I can see both sides of the coin. People are indignant about this one and I get that. It seems our businesses get dumped on all the time."

hdaniszewski@postmedia.com

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What the rules say

City regulations for A-Frame (sandwich board) signs posted on city property (sidewalks and road allowances):