Washington Planning Board

Working Meeting – August 23, 2011 

0.0            Assembly at 6:30PM:

            0.1       Members present:

                        Lynn Cook, Jim Crandall, Tom Marshall, Nan Schwartz, Lionel Chute

            0.2       Alternates present: None

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Steve Terani, Michelle Dagesse, Bill Cole

0.4 Visitors: Jean Kluk 

Cook motioned to open the working meeting at 6:30PM.

Jean Kluk shared a compilation of sign ordinances she had put together from other town's sign ordinances. She broke out the sign categories we are looking at for us – on premise, off premise, existing non-conforming signs and temporary signs.

We discussed on premise signs and talked about the fact that they should be installed out of the town's or state's right-of-way. We discussed numbers of signs permitted, illumination, size, height, repair of existing signs and made some changes to the provided document.

We then discussed off premise signs, which was much more complicated due to the fact that the main street through town is a state secondary highway. We have to defer to the state's regulations within their right-of-way but can regulate signs on private property outside of that zone. Chute related his experience with trying to get a sign permitted through the state. They permit directional signs but have strict rules for businesses that participate. Off premise signs are directional only. We had some changes and made separate decisions for town roads and state roads. We decided to mandate size and color for these signs to keep them more uniform.

We discussed existing non-conforming signs and decided that they can continue and be maintained but if they are changed they will have to conform as a new sign would.

Next we discussed temporary signs not requiring any permit. There were 5 different types, some for on premise and others that could be allowed off premise. We worked through the list and made several changes.

We thanked Kluk for her diligent work on the sign document.

Schwartz will compile her notes and make the agreed to changes on the original document. She will then send out by email for comments and suggestions. We will discuss again at our regular meeting in September.

Cook closed the working meeting at 8:40 PM

Respectfully submitted – Nan Schwartz