ANNUAL CHAMBER SURVEY
Many in our business community are experiencing both challenges and successes as our economy grows. As we work to secure the NW Valley's future, it is crucial that the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce understand what issues and programs are most important to businesses. The purpose of survey is to track trends, identify advocacy activities that matter most to the business community. The Survey was first launched in 2018 and is conducted every year in February. Please take our four-minute survey and tell us what you think.
Click Here To Take the Survey
Quick Summary of the 2019 Survey Results
- Membership Status: Indicates who completed the survey relative to their Chamber membership status. The Chamber provides an array of offerings for members and is also the voice of the business community.
- Employer Size: The Chamber represents businesses of all sizes.
- Self-Described Position: Individuals completing the survey come from all different levels in an organization.
- Program Rankings: The chart ranks various Chamber programs regarding their importance as it relates to members and non-members. Historically, advocacy and business retention and expansion programs (BRE) rank the highest among all groups. Name association with the Chamber brand is still a significant draw for many businesses. The Chambers TCS program, which improves a business’s internet ranking, has risen dramatically over the last three years of the survey.
Surprise Sign Ordinance Survey Results
Survey Results Filtered for Surprise Responses Only
Chamber Provides Feedback On Proposed Revisions to Sign Ordinance
Survey Results
A Sign Ordinance Review Committee will convene members/business owners to review the revisions and to provide additional input for City consideration. General comments and guiding principles for a sign code are on based on the consensus of the committee and a recent Chamber survey on the matter.
The Chamber recognizes a sign ordinance can help a municipality reduce signage visual clutter and end business “sign wars.” It also can contribute to enhancing the existing character of a community, establish, or enhance community identity. Unreasonable or vaguely written sign codes and difficult permitting processes prevent signs, graphics, and visual communications that inhibit sales and marketing activities of companies. These business help collect sales taxes, provide local jobs, and contribute to the overall quality of life of our community.
Drawbacks
Adding more regulations, or having regulations that are unclear, to a municipality’s code and regulating signage involves additional administrative work, including administering sign permit applications and code enforcement of the rules. Cities will need to have a sign application process, adequate staff to review applications, and the necessary code enforcement staff to enforce and issue violations to ensure proper implementation of the sign ordinance. If improperly developed, sign ordinances may need significant revisions that can lead to added costs for sign ordinance development. In addition, adding additional or unclear regulations could potentially foster an image of an unfriendly business climate especially important).
Suggestions:
- No sign ordinance be implemented that results in current businesses having to change of modify existing signage unless a business impact study has been completed to determine the direct and indirect costs associated with such changes.
- Items that a sign code might regulate under the First Amendment: Style or type of illumination Sign height Sign size Number of signs Sign placement Materials, based on written criteria
- Items that the Sign Code should attempt to avoid: Is the sign harmonious with the building or property on which it is located? Mandating specific fonts and lettering styles Limiting so-called “items of information” Colors Sign copy (the messages or the content) Vague and ambiguous language, or language clearly open to interpretation
- Digital billboards are becoming more common throughout the United States, and addressing this in a sign ordinance is important to the business community.
- Regulating that government advertisements and government-owned and operated variable message signs should comply with the same rules that the private sector must abide by (with the exception of public health and safety messages.)
- Allowing for special sign zone districts such as areas with a high concentration of auto dealers or in the future, the City Center.
- Kiosks: Address where the Kiosks can be located at intersections, and clarify spacing requirements.
- Temporary signs advertise municipal or civic projects, construction projects, real estate, a commercial grand opening, political candidates, or other special events on a temporary basis. Political signs and portable signs (e.g., sandwich board signs) are examples of temporary signs. These signs, based on a Chamber survey and very important to special business sectors. The Chamber recommends making special considerations that allow them to be located outside the framework of the general regulations.
- Providing businesses with a hearing before any sign or sign structure is forcibly removed by the City or legal action is taken.
Annual Communications and Programs Survey
All information is strictly confidential, and is use only to produce statistics.
The aim of the survey:
- Determine the most important communication channels
- Understand how businesses (members and non-members) value our activities and services
- Understand where we need to focus our advocacy efforts