Washington Post
Neighborhood Signs of the Times - January 29, 2002

It's nothing new to see welcome signs as you drive into a city, but increasingly, individual subdivisions are making themselves known that way, too.

Many county and city governments encourage the practice. For xample,Rockville and Arlington like neighborhood signs so much they're willing to help pay for them. Fairfax City just amended its zoning code to let neighborhoods place the signs in more visible locations. Civic associations and city ministrators feel the signs give name recognition to different neighborhoods -- a good thing.

Waverly Hills' signs took just over a year from the time the neighborhood conservation plan was approved, Bromberg said. The process went smoothly for several reasons. Residents were overwhelmingly in favor of the Glebe House -- a premier historic structure -- being featured on the signs. The association then called on the talents of two residents -- an architect and a graphic artist -- to design the association's four signs.

A little delay came in getting the approval of the Virginia Department of Transportation for the association's largest sign, at the top of the westbound Interstate 66 exit to Glebe Road, because that land is designated as an easement.

Arlington neighborhoods are not required to use a particular signmaker, but the county encourages them to use Cylex Inc. in Tempe, Ariz. "Not many companies make this particular kind of sign," Nixon said. "They've held up the best, they have the best prices, and they have been easy to deal with, and they have been wonderful at taking volunteer artwork and turning out signs that look really good."