BURBANK REALTORS WANT CITY TO AMEND SIGN RULE `OPEN HOUSE' SIGNS ARE NOT ADVERTISING, THEY SAY.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

BURBANK - Dozens of Realtors, real estate agents and homeowners are expected to speak during a public hearing Tuesday hoping that the city will amend a two-decade-old municipal code that forbids ``open house'' signs or any other forms of advertisement to be placed on public property.

Real estate brokers and agents say their signs are not advertising, but simply part of their profession, to help prospective home buyers.

Many of the homes for sale are off busy streets and cannot be easily found without a sign pointing in the right direction, some say.

``I do understand the city's concern, and we're looking for a way to comply,'' said Realtor Paul McKenna of Coldwell Banker. ``We're not talking about sign blight. We're talking about professionals with telephone numbers. That's what we need to do.''

McKenna said a home on the quiet street Parish Place, for example, would be difficult to spot from a busy corridor such as Verdugo Boulevard. By contrast, homes for sale on Buena Vista Street can be seen easily by home buyers who drive through the city.

But city officials believe allowing the signs is a slippery slope.

Allowing ``open house'' signs could open the floodgates for others to want to advertise their businesses, said assistant City Manager Dave Newsham.

Burbank's License and Code Director Terre Hirsh was out Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Shellie Rizzotti, a board member for the Association of Realtors who helped author the proposal, called the signage issue a ``vicious cycle'' that has gone on for decades.

``There are so many homes that we cannot market,'' she said. ``We are not able to tell people about those homes without the signs.''

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

-- The Burbank City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave., Burbank.

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