The town received about 1,393 responses to an online survey sent out in January about Cary's infamous sign regulations, which are considered some of the strictest in the region.

The survey, which asked 22 questions about current and proposed sign rules, drew extreme reactions from citizens both for and against its rules. The responses will be reviewed by a 17-member sign ordinance evaluation task force, which is trying to determine which policies of the ordinance they may ask Town Council to revise this summer.

"This was a remarkable number of responses, and it shows that there's a great deal of pride in the community," said Debra Grannan, a member of the town's planning staff and liaison to the task force. "The task force realizes their work is cut out for them."

In ranking the town's current sign regulations on a scale of 1 to 9, 30 percent of respondents gave the town a nine, which meant they were very supportive. "I'm glad that Cary has strict signage rules," one person wrote. "Take a drive on Capital Blvd. in Raleigh to see what you do not want."

But 25 percent gave the town a one, meaning they were not supportive of the rules.

There also was a wide division over business signs. Forty-nine percent of respondents said Cary's current signs were not adequate for finding stores or offices within a new shopping center or business park. Forty-eight percent said the signs were adequate.

"The town of Cary needs to take in consideration those businesses that are not visible from the roads and how not allowing adequate signage affects our businesses," one respondent wrote. "In these tough economical times, businesses need to be visible to the public - this is one of many of our marketing strategies."

Certain restrictions were more favorable than others.

More people surveyed were supportive of prohibiting signs on parked cars near roadways, for example.

Some critics said the rules should include more flexibility for temporary signs and businesses with unique logos.

Cary's sign rules are being challenged in federal court.

Cary resident David Bowden, who made national headlines for a house-front sign that reads "Screwed by the Town of Cary" says the town infringed on his freedom of speech when it asked him to comply with regulations that govern the size and color of signs.

"I do not think it is necessary for them to be as restrictive as they are currently," another respondent wrote. "All citizens should have the right to free speech and signage, especially if they own the property with which it is being placed on."

But for every survey comment criticizing the rules, there was another praising the town for keeping high standards.

"The present sign ordinances lend an aura of gentility to this community," one person commented. "Notice as you leave Cary town limits the assault of tacky signage which meets the eye."