Center scares up support for Halloween store

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- A manager at an East 17th Street strip mall is lobbying

the city to try to keep up Halloween decorations for a seasonal store.

“I’m still working on it,” said Susan Eddy, property manager for the

center at 215 E. 17th St. “I’m not giving up yet.”

The display was mounted by Halloween Adventure Shops, a part-time

tenant at the mall, and Eddy wants the decorations to remain on the

parking lot light poles.

But city officials say the black and orange streamers and signs

proclaiming “Halloween” are violations of a municipal law prohibiting

advertising banners to be posted on light poles.

The city has already granted the store one extension this week -- from

Tuesday to Friday -- to remove the October holiday decor for the

yet-to-open shop.

Sandi Benson, the city’s chief of code enforcement, said Costa Mesa

could file a citation, or criminal charges, if the decorations are not

down on time.

“I thought it was in the interest of good business relations to give

them until Friday,” Benson said. “The business owner said they had run

into a problem with the sign company. He assured me they would have [the

display] down at that time.”

But Eddy wrote a letter Wednesday asking for another extension on

behalf of her tenant.

“The city is really just being awful,” Eddy said. “[Benson] gave me a

hard time, saying that since the decorations don’t go all the way across

the parking lot, they only draw attention to the one store. But the

property is divided, and I can’t just go and put decorations on what

isn’t ours.

“I think it’s nice we’re trying to bring holiday spirit into the

neighborhood, but I guess the city doesn’t agree.”

Eddy wants to meet with city officials to discuss their difference of

opinion.

Alternatives to taking down the decorations might be to cover up the

word “Halloween” on the signs or to get permission from adjacent property

owners to place the decorations throughout the shopping center, she said.

Eddy said she already has permission from the owner of the Ross Dress

for Less part of the center and is trying to get permission from the

Staples Center landowner.

Advertisement banners on light posts have been banned in town for

years, and city officials sent the Halloween shop’s corporate office a

notice two weeks ago asking it to take down the decorations.

Benson said the signs and streamers are considered advertising banners

because they are intended to bring attention to the store.

Jim McDevitt, manager of Halloween Adventure Shops, disagrees and says

the decorations are advertisements because “Halloween” is the only word

on the signs.

“The city claims the [decorations] refer to only our store, but that’s

not true,” he said. “Halloween merchandise of some type will be offered

at most stores in the mall. Other stores will have Halloween products,

someone will have pumpkins and someone will have candy. It’s not just our

store.”