Township Council’s Ad Hoc Retail Signage Committee Holds First Meeting

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Changes to the Township’s retail signage regulations that take into account a businesses’ location rather then set broad-brush standards may be in the offing.

That was the upshot from the first open meeting of the Township Council’s ad hoc committee on retail signage, held April 29.

The virtual meeting was more of a town hall, with committee members asking the public for their concerns and suggestions. The meeting was moderated by Mark Healey, the Township’s Principal Planner.

The committee was formed earlier this month after concerns about retail signs were brought to the Township Council. Members of the ad hoc committee are Mayor Phil Kramer and Councilmembers Ram Anbarasan (D-At Large) and Shepa Uddin (D-Ward 2).

The idea of adapting signage regulations depending on where a business is located was broached at the meeting by township resident James Stahl and Bill Grippo, vice president of the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce.

Stahl commented on the current regulation limiting free-standing “pylon” signs to one per road frontage, and the size of permanent signs to 30 square feet in most business zones.

“I would suggest that you consider that there may be sites that deserve more than one pylon and maybe a bigger sign for consistency,” he said. “You have a road like Easton Avenue, it’s not like some of the other roads, it’s a higher-speed road, and it may justify a properly spaced additional pylon and bigger signs for identification.”

Grippos said that signs regulations should be different for retail businesses on Hamilton Street than they are for businesses on Easton Avenue, mainly because cars travel faster on Easton and smaller signs may not be noticed as easily as they are on Hamilton.

“That’s really why we’re here, for those Easton Avenue business,” he said. “That’s where this committee has to take some action.”

Vince Dominach, the Township’s Economic Development Director, asked the public attendees for their suggestions.

“We understand what the issue is, we’re trying to find out how you think we can solve the issue,” he said.

Dominach suggested that the Chamber “have an internal discussion … and send us ideas. We understand what you’re talking about, but you need to give us suggestions. Should we allow a 400-foot sign and five signs?”

“Signs on Hamilton Street maybe don’t have to be a big as signs on Easton Avenue,” Healey said. “We’ll look at those things.”

There was also discussion about signs that are placed on telephone poles, street sign and just stuck in the ground at intersections, such as Easton Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

Those signs are removed periodically, Healey and Dominach said.

“We’ll go and remove 400 signs in two days, and the next week there’s 400 more,” Dominach said. “We just don’t have the manpower to physically go out and do that.”

Healey said the next step in the process will be a committee member-only meeting.

“We’re going to start going through the sign ordinance and fleshing out what recommendations we might be making,” he said. “It is somewhat of a loose process … exactly what steps I’m not sure.”

“Certainly, we’re not going to just go into a room, make an ordinance and put it before the Township Council for adoption,” he said.

“Maybe we’ll have another one of these (public meetings) in a few months when we have some draft recommendations,” Healey said. “I’d be surprised if we didn’t have something like that.”

Dominach suggested that anyone with suggestions email them to himself or Healey by Memorial Day.

“Then we can collate everything and figure out the next step,” he said.

Dominach’s email address is Vincent.dominach@ franklinnj.gov, and Healy’s is Mark.Healey@franklinnj.gov.

Here are the current signage regulations:

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