Ho-Ho-Kus September 14, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 9 Council prepares to update sign ordinance regulations by Jennifer Crusco Several updates to the local sign regulations will be considered for final passage at the Ho-Ho-Kus Council’s Sept. 27 public meeting. Under Ordinance 997, the amendments to the Chapter 85 of the borough’s code would include updates to the regulations pertaining to banner signs and public interest signs. Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Administrator Don Cirulli explained that the intent of the proposed ordinance is to help regulate the placement and sizes of signs. He added that the section that covers public interest signs was prompted by the Ho-Ho-Kus Historical Association’s request to install signs in the Arbor Drive neighborhood to commemorate that area’s former use as a race track. Ho-Ho-Kus Planning Board Chairman John Hanlon told Villadom TIMES 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 posts. The language of the ordinance defines public interest signs as “signs, markers, or plaques of a noncommercial nature in all zone districts 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 proposed ordinance, the installation of such signs could only be completed a planning board review and a subsequent resolution of the Ho-Ho-Kus Council. “No historic marker, sign, or plaque (hereinafter ‘historic sign’) shall be erected in any zone unless it complies with the regulations of this chapter,” the ordinance states. The ordinance would require the applicant to be responsible for the signage, support posts, mounting brackets, and installation on approved footings. Outdoor historic signs would be “permanent” signs made of cast aluminum or brass, and may be imprinted on one or both sides. Both indoor and outdoor signs would have to be black in color with raised satin finished letters, the ordinance states. These signs would contain historical facts about the borough, tell a story, or discuss a particular area. No other messages would be permitted. The signs could not 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 would be excluded from the dimension requirements. The base of the sign would have to be secured to a platform footing of at least one foot by one foot and three feet in depth. The footing would have to be five feet from the curb line and located in the borough’s right-of-way. (continued on page 10) Due to an unfavorable weather forecast for this past weekend, the Ho-Ho-Kus Chamber of Commerce’s Movie under the Stars and Sidewalk Sale events have been rescheduled. The movie will now be shown at the Ho-Ho-Kus Green on Friday, Sept. 16. The festivities will begin at 7 p.m. with entertainment by the band Kangaroo Jones and the show- New dates set for movie, Sidewalk Sale ing of the third installation of a popular children’s tale. A Sidewalk Sale will follow on Saturday, Sept. 17. Sale hours will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Area residents are invited to spend the day shopping in Ho-Ho-Kus, as merchants town-wide offer great gifts, sale items, and restaurant specials. A free shopping tote will be available to shoppers.