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March 10. 2013 10:11PM
DERRY - After months of meetings and years of research, updated sign regulations in the town's zoning ordinance are ready to move forward to the Town Council.
Last week, the Planning Board approved the updated regulations after holding a second public hearing.
"We've attempted to get the sign regulations in one section of the zoning ordinance," said town code enforcement officer Robert Mackey. "Right now, they are kind of scattered about."
The most recent revisions to the sign regulations take into account several recommendations made by Peter March of New Hampshire Signs in Londonderry.
At a public hearing in January, March said the electronic signs allowed under the new regulations amounted to little more than electronic message boards replacing static text signs. He said the town should consider language that would allow for more varied electronic signs, while still ensuring the signs were not overly bright or distracting.
Town code enforcement director Robert Mackey said some of those suggestions were incorporated into the regulations.
Under the regulations, electronic signs would be allowed in the town's general commercial and industrial 4 districts and would be restricted to not changing images more than once per five seconds and limit brightness to .3 candlepower above any ambient signage.
"We've had a lot of workshops on this," said Planning Board member John O'Connor. "This goes back a couple of years with some of us doing research on it."
During last week's public hearing, local Realtor Steve Trefethen said the regulations should increase the maximum size allowed for commercial real estate signs.
Under the regulations, real estate signs are limited to six square feet.
According to Trefethen, most commercial real estate signs are 4-by-4 half plywood sheets that measure 16-square feet.
"By the time the lettering and the logos are on the signs, they can cost $300 to $600," said Trefethen. "The frames that are made for them are usually four feet by four feet."
The Planning Board approved the revised sign ordinance by an 8-0 vote and they will now go to the Town Council for a public hearing and vote.
aswift@newstote.com
Derry planners move sign policy forward
Last week, the Planning Board approved the updated regulations after holding a second public hearing.
"We've attempted to get the sign regulations in one section of the zoning ordinance," said town code enforcement officer Robert Mackey. "Right now, they are kind of scattered about."
The most recent revisions to the sign regulations take into account several recommendations made by Peter March of New Hampshire Signs in Londonderry.
At a public hearing in January, March said the electronic signs allowed under the new regulations amounted to little more than electronic message boards replacing static text signs. He said the town should consider language that would allow for more varied electronic signs, while still ensuring the signs were not overly bright or distracting.
Town code enforcement director Robert Mackey said some of those suggestions were incorporated into the regulations.
Under the regulations, electronic signs would be allowed in the town's general commercial and industrial 4 districts and would be restricted to not changing images more than once per five seconds and limit brightness to .3 candlepower above any ambient signage.
"We've had a lot of workshops on this," said Planning Board member John O'Connor. "This goes back a couple of years with some of us doing research on it."
During last week's public hearing, local Realtor Steve Trefethen said the regulations should increase the maximum size allowed for commercial real estate signs.
Under the regulations, real estate signs are limited to six square feet.
According to Trefethen, most commercial real estate signs are 4-by-4 half plywood sheets that measure 16-square feet.
"By the time the lettering and the logos are on the signs, they can cost $300 to $600," said Trefethen. "The frames that are made for them are usually four feet by four feet."
The Planning Board approved the revised sign ordinance by an 8-0 vote and they will now go to the Town Council for a public hearing and vote.
aswift@newstote.com
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