Chester business owners seek changes to sign regulations

By Shawn Cunningham
©Telegraph Publishing LLC — 2014

About 25 people, most of them local business owners, attended the Chester Planning Commission’s Dec. 1 meeting to tell members about problems they have had with the current and past sign laws and  offer advice on what they think is needed in the new sign ordinance that the board is beginning to draft. You can find the current regulations embedded in this article.

Skip and Amy Norton of the Bargain Corner listen as Michael Alon, of DaVallia Art and Accents, addresses changes to the sign ordinance. Photos by Cynthia Prairie. Click photos to enlarge. ON THE COVER: The public meeting in neon.

DaVallia Art and Accents owner Michael Alon kicked off  public comment by pointing out the need for more signs that point motorists to various features in Chester including the Green, and the historic districts among others. In addition, those in attendance agreed that the “Welcome to Chester” signs like those at the town lines would be more effective closer to town. Noting that the sign on Route 11 west is at the Rod and Gun Club, Sage Jewelry owner Michele Bargfrede said, “People coming from Weston don’t see any welcome sign,” since it is west of the Chester-Andover Road.

Planning Commission chairman Tom Bock thought that the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce should be advocating for such signage, but a number in the audience said were not members and wouldn’t not be members.

“Don’t get started on that,” said Bargfrede. “That’s a different story.” Bargfrede also noted that later this month Chester businesses would be receiving an invitation to join a business association.

“A merchants’ association could go a long way toward getting that done,” said Bock.

Turning to the regulation of private signs, Alon suggested that the commission look at other towns that are doing signage well and seeing what their regs say. He suggested a look at the sign regulations of Stowe, Grafton and Bellows Falls. “Bellows Falls knows what businesses mean to the town,” said Bargfrede. “With Chester and business, there’s a disconnect.”

Chester Telegraph Publisher Cynthia Prairie pointed out that the purpose clause for the sign ordinance never recognizes that the regs should also help promote local business as part of a healthy economy. “It’s these folks who bring vitality to the local economy,” said Prairie

From left, Peter Klepp of J&L Metrology speaks about the problems his relocated business is facing while Thom and Kate Huntington of Country Girl Diner and Kathy Pellet and David Lord listen.

Peter Klepp, whose J&L Metrology recently bought the Army Reserve Center on Route 11 west, asked for an interpretation of the new zoning regulations relating to signs in the new Adaptive 3 district. Zoning administrator Michael Normyle noted that the district had not been assigned to one of the two sign categories and he wants to be able to process a sign permit but can’t. Assistant to the town manager Julie Hance said that she had contacted the town’s attorney, Jim Carroll, who told her that if the commission agreed unanimously that the intent was to put it in a particular district, that would be good enough for going ahead. Commission members Naomi Johnson and Tom Hildreth said they were comfortable with A3 being a “business” district while Bock said he would like to consider it at the next meeting.

“We need more and better signs to call attention to our community,” said resident David Lord. “My concern is not too many signs, but too many of the wrong type of signs. We are a little New England town, not US 1.” He added that neon signs can be beautiful and many are exhibited in museums, but singled out animated and flashing neon as the wrong type, calling them “an assault on the eye.”

Country on the Common owner Sharon Baker addresses lighted sign regulations while Bob and Julie Pollard listen.

Country on the Common owner Sharon Baker explained that her location – down the alley between DaVallia and the Free Range restaurant on the Green – makes it difficult for potential customers to tell that her store is open. Having tried open flags and other signage, she put a lit open sign in the window and customers now come down the alley without hesitation.

In discussing internally lit signs, Hance clarified that signs that are inside the building are not covered in zoning codes and that the use of the term “internally lit” refers to outdoor signs that have lights inside the sign.

Alon said that new technology in lighting has made it possible to have internally lit signs that are beautiful, energy efficient and reduce light pollution. Giving the new sign at  the Meditrina Wine and Cheese shop as an example that everyone seemed to agree is attractive, Alon said that it is probably out of compliance but shouldn’t be.

Referring to scenes in the film It’s a Wonderful Life, Bock noted later that those regulations probably came out of a fear that lit signs could create a “Pottersville” atmosphere.

Scenes from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ depicting the bright lights of Pottersville.

Using the TD Bank sign as an example, Alon said that it could be more beautiful and efficient if properly lit from within and that the commission should look into technologies – like LEDs – that would allow businesses to have such signs. Fullerton Inn proprietor Bret Rugg cautioned that blindingly bright television-billboards also use LEDs so caution has to be taken with writing the regulations.

The meeting addressed whether maximum sign sizes should reflect the speed limit, distance of the business from the road and length of road frontage. Normyle suggested that a business that has a long road frontage could benefit from having a sign at each end rather than one in front and one on the building.

Bock asked the public what kind of signs work. Rugg answered that he doesn’t know and that he has tried several things. But, he added, he believes that people only engage with signs if they need a specific reference to something. Normyle noted that at Okemo Mountain Resort, visitors often end up at the clocktower looking for Jackson Gore – having disregarded several signs pointing the way.

Normyle asked the commission to make the regulations more enforceable since that’s the message he is getting from the Select Board and town manager David Pisha. In particular, he noted that the town needs to address signs that are currently in violation to prevent their violation from being grandfathered in when the new regulations are adopted. Alon asked for a regulation that would call for removing a sign once a business stops operating.

Several owners of businesses on the Green asked that something be done about the wrong way traffic on the Common. They noted that GPS tells drivers to enter at the east end and that someone will get hurt unless a DO NOT ENTER sign is placed there. They added that the painted road signs are insufficient especially in the winter. Hance replied that she would speak with Town Manager Pisha about the problem.

Several businessowners on the Green asked that something be done about the wrong way traffic on the Common, noting that GPS sends drivers to enter at the east end. They added that someone will get hurt unless a DO NOT ENTER sign is placed there.

Before adjourning, the commission heard from Hance on several issues with the new development bylaws that had arisen in DRB hearings since they were passed, including the J&L Metrology site lot size and lack of sign allowance in that district. She suggested a special meeting with the DRB to look at issues that can be adjusted in the framework of adopting the sign ordinance. She suggested a Monday in January when the DRB doesn’t have an application to hear.

The Planning Commission’s next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday Dec. 15. Hance encouraged the business people attending to stay involved with the process and to bring the sign regulations of other towns to their attention. Bock encouraged the new business association and asked that it bring ideas to both the Planning Commission and Select Board meetings.