Pole signs aren’t the only thing city officials should be looking at as they review the city’s existing codes regarding commercial signs.

Although city commissioners are bound to be hesitant to order businesses to bear the expense of replacing existing signs, the city needs to think carefully about how it wants its most crowded commercial corridors to look.

There are a number of factors that make commercial signage offensive. Shorter monument signs have a cleaner, less obtrusive look than tall pole signs, but short signs can still be an eyesore. Lighting is a key factor. What looks all right in the daylight can be downright garish at night. One notable new establishment on Sixth Street has so much neon signage that it resembles an interplanetary vessel about to ascend into outer space.

City officials say their main purpose in reviewing the sign codes is to make sure they work well with the city’s new development code, which recently replaced the city’s zoning code. Making the two sets of rules consistent is important, but this also is an opportunity to make changes that could make Lawrence’s commercial corridors more attractive.

Now, before new development takes place, obviously is the time to make such changes. Commercial signs are not inexpensive. It’s much more of a burden to force businesses to replace signs than to require them to meet certain standards when signs are first installed.

Although they apparently conform with the existing code, some of the commercial signs that have been allowed recently aren’t much of an asset to the local landscape. City commissioners need to take a drive around town both during daylight and after dark and ask themselves how certain commercial signs add or detract from the look of Lawrence. As commercial developments continue to spread across the city, this problem will only get worse if it’s not addressed now.