Ethical Bottom of the 'Red' Pit: Laine Hyde and Paul Layer

Only Maud's Lips Can Be Red in Vienna!

From the Commercial Board of Architectural Review Minutes of the Town of Vienna, Virginia on 06/15/2006 comes this excerpt all about the color "red":

Request for approval of signage for Bank of America located at 235 Maple Avenue, W...Chairwoman Damon asked if the sign has been installed. Mr. Wilcox answered yes. Chairwoman Damon stated concern that the sign has so much red on it. She stated that the previous signs that were approved were white and blue. To have such a mass of red on a brick building appears to be garish and not in keeping with the rest of the sign design for the building. Ms. Laine Hyde stated her disappointment that the sign is already in place. She noted that it puts the Board in a difficult position when reviewing an application. She stated her agreement with Chairwoman Damon’s statements. If the sign had come before the Board before it was installed then they would have requested to tone down or modify the red in some way. Ms. Brehony stated her agreement with the previous testimony. She stated that the sign is too bright. Mr. Layer asked if the ATM sign is all illuminated. Mr. Wilcox answered no. Mr. Layer asked if the applicant has an alternate design. Mr. Wilcox answered that he was not certain. Additional discussion followed regarding alternate options. It was determined that Mr. Wilcox would check with the applicant as to alternate options. There being no further questions the item was deferred. Ms. Hyde made a motion that the request for approval of signage for Bank of America located at 235 Maple Avenue, W. be deferred until such a time that the applicant can present alternate color options to the Board.

The people of the Town of Vienna should be proud of Hyde's and Layer's ethical foundation. Why criticize their ethics? They both know the law does not allow them to stop the use of the color red, but since the law is extremely vague they can get away with inane discussions like the one above. Do you think it is coincidence that Hyde and Layer both live in the Windover Heights Historic District and both support it?

Deborah Brehony and Rebecca Hartley resigned from the Commercial Board of Architectural Review, but Laine Hyde and Paul Layer stayed. They stayed because they are political cronies of the highest order. They are willing to sell their soul to make Maud happy.

It is a great example of Mao Maud's unexplained aversion to the color red that we mentioned last week.