Sign saga referred to zoning panel
Staff writer
Marion city council members kicked a Main St. sign saga down the curb to planning and zoning Monday.
Chelsea Mackey, owner of Dawn’s Day Spa, wants to keep a sign she put up at her business at 331 E. Main St. It violates city code because it hangs perpendicular to her building.
She presented a petition to council members asking for a change to code to allow signs that hang over sidewalks on Main St. between Elm and Walnut Sts.
Mackey said on a social media post that about 100 people signed her advisory-only petition.
Council members unanimously voted to refer the issue to planning and zoning after first confirming that the council would retain ultimate authority to decide the matter.
City council member Zach Collett said other cities of similar size allowed such signs.
The spa opened July 30 in a space that used to house Possibilities Healing Arts Studio. It offers facials, microderm abrasion, chemical peels, waxing; eyelash extensions, and massage.
Mackey recently added an infrared sauna.
Earlier this month, she posted that a city representative had visited her business and asked her to take her sign down.
City administrator Mark Skiles declined to confirm that.
“The city will never divulge a confidential conversation that they have had with a business/property owner about a code situation,” he said.