Ho-Ho-Kus October 5, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 9 New sign regulations gain borough council’s approval by Jennifer Crusco The Ho-Ho-Kus Council has approved Ordinance 997, which ushers in several updates to the borough’s sign regulations regarding banner signs, public interest signs, and temporary signs that advertise non-profit and charitable events. Before taking official action, Ho-HoKus Borough Attorney David Bole advised the council that, when the ordinance was introduced last month, the document stated that organizations that make requests for signs about upcoming events must submit those requests to the zoning official. Bole said the ordinance should state that these requests must be made to the construction department, where permission will ultimately be granted or denied by the zoning official. The attorney said this minor change did not require the council to reintroduce or re-advertise the ordinance, and the council agreed to approve the updated language prior to voting in favor of the ordinance. Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Administrator Don Cirulli previously explained that the intent of the ordinance is to help regulate the placement and sizes of signs within the borough. He added that the section that covers public interest signs was prompted by the Ho-Ho-Kus Historical Association’s request to install commemorative signs in the Arbor Drive neighborhood, where the borough’s former race track was located. In a prior interview, Ho-Ho-Kus Planning Board Chairman John Hanlon explained that four locations, including three that are already in use, have been designated for the placement of public interest signs. The three existing locations, Hanlon said, include the corner of Hollywood Avenue and Sheridan Avenue, the Hollywood Avenue overpass, and the area near the town clock on East Franklin Turnpike. The new location will be the triangle at Franklin Turnpike and Warren Avenue. Hanlon credited the Ho-Ho-Kus Chamber of Commerce with making the suggestion that the sign posts be retained on a permanent basis, so organizations can easily install signs on existing supports. The ordinance defines public interest signs as “signs, markers, or plaques of a noncommercial nature…which are in the public interest and convey a message that does not propose a commercial transaction or advance an economic interest, and are restricted to signs for historical, charitable, and cultural interests of a noncommercial nature only.” According to the ordinance, the installation of such signs can only be completed after a planning board review and a subsequent resolution of the Ho-Ho-Kus Council. The ordinance requires the applicant to be responsible for the signage, support posts, mounting brackets, and installation on approved footings. Outdoor historic signs are to be “permanent” signs made of cast aluminum or brass, and may be imprinted on one or both sides. Both indoor and outdoor signs are to be black in color with raised satin finished letters. These signs are to contain historical facts about the borough, tell a story, or discuss a particular area. The signs cannot exceed two feet in height and two feet in width, although a “bump out” that could not exceed two inches in width at the top of the sign can be excluded from the dimension requirements. The base of the sign must be secured to a platform footing of at least one foot by one foot and three feet in depth. The footing must be five feet from the curb line and located in the borough’s right-of-way. The ordinance prohibits multiple historic signs and the lighting of those signs. Once the council has approved the installation of historic signs, those signs become borough property. The newly-approved ordinance has changed the approval process for temporary signs for public and charitable purposes. Before Ordinance 997, the council had granted approval for these signs with the understanding that the signs may remain in place for a period of time not to exceed 30 days. Requests for these signs must now be submitted to the construction department, per the council’s last-minute amendment to the ordinance. The zoning official is permitted to waive the $100 administrative fee if sign requests are made in a timely manner. Temporary ground sign requests that are submitted within five days of installation and banner sign requests that are submitted within three weeks of installation would be considered timely. Temporary signs are to be installed on approved borough sites, and an organization may not install more than one sign on the same site at any time. A-frame signs and reflective lettering are prohibited, as are any forms of illumination. Signs that are – in whole or in part -- moving, mobile, or revolving are prohibited. Temporary signs cannot exceed six feet in height, and cannot be larger than 24 square feet or smaller than three square (continued on page 13)