10/02/1996 PLANNING BOARD Minutes

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There being no Board discussion, the Chairman opened the Hearing for public input. Jim Hanks: This is the second public hearing on this Article. The Selectmen are resubmitting because it was not included in the previous October Warrant. (Patrick Coffey returned at 8:35 p.m.) The Chairman entertained a motion to recommend. MOTION: Patrick Coffey made a Motion to recommend this Article for Town Meeting approval; which Motion was seconded by Dennis Balzarini and so voted unanimously. (Voting in favor were Martine Meijering, Patrick Coffey, Dennis Balzarini, Anthony Ferragamo and Robert Govoni.) The Chairman: Amendments to the Zoning By -Law, Article 10, Signs. Reflecting revisions and corrections to the current sign code submitted by the Sign Code Study Committee. Proposed regulatory changes include allowing limited use of neon and internally illuminated signs; standardizing size, height and set- back requirements in commercial and industrial districts and eliminating content based regulation - Article 45 on the Warrant. The Chairman asked Eric Smith for a summary. Eric stated for the record that this Article should not have been printed as submitted by the Sign Code Study Committee, but rather by the Board of Selectmen. Richard Halpern questioned whether this Article was properly submitted. The Chairman determined to go forward with the Public Hearing in this matter. Thomas Fudala suggested Town Counsel address the matter on Town Meeting Floor. The Chairman determined the reading of the entire Article as printed be waived and recognized Assistant Town Planner, Eric Smith, for the purpose of providing some history in this matter. Eric Smith: Stated he was approached by the Executive Secretary last February to be part of the process to formulate a Sign By -Law. The considerations being to update and render the By -Law more enforceable. Also involved were the Building Inspector, one individual from Planning Board, Board of Appeals, Design Review, Economic Development and Chamber of Commerce. Legal research was done regarding the existing By -Law, other Town By -Laws and Codes from the American Planning Association and a National Sign Organization. Originally the goal was to write a new By -Law, but that proved to be not so easily accomplished. There were some major concerns with Town Meeting deadlines. A Memo was submitted stating the Committee -13- rf i „ iAtJ av6��;1 4 u i k, '." of E, i.