Township discusses subcommittee for sign ordinance, PPE zones at council meeting

Main Street business owners spoke at the meeting in regards to lighted signs, Township Planner notes rezoning plans

By Krista Cerminaro

The township once again considered Medford’s sign ordinance at the council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6, agreeing to form another subcommittee to revisit the ordinance.

“In 2012, one of the very first things we did as an all-new council — on our own, without even any complaints — was realize that we need to help our downtown businesses,” Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson said. “Some of our ordinances were a little bit restrictive.”

Watson explained that prior to those changes, signs had to be the same color as the building, and were nearly camouflaged with the buildings.

“We spent many, many months, and our first ordinance of 2013, [which was] 2013–1, eased the burden on many businesses, on all businesses in Medford really — with the signs,” Watson added.

Watson also noted when the first subcommittee initially recommended no changes should be made in the downtown district, no public comments were made about the rules.

“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t change it,” Watson said. “I’m saying that’s what the committee recommended, that’s what council adopted, and there was no public comment to differ with that. We’re five years later now, and I think it’s time to review our sign ordinance with a small subcommittee again.”

Councilman Christopher Buoni stated one of the biggest goals and challenges when it comes to Main Street is to alter consumer behavior so people consider Main Street a destination for meeting their retail needs.

“I thought the toy store made a pretty valid point when we talked about evening hours, and people not necessarily knowing whether or not they’re open. That’s a design problem,” Buoni said. “Having something that can’t be seen obviously doesn’t serve the potential customer, it doesn’t serve the community, it doesn’t serve the store, so I think that’s something that we need to consider. What do we do when it’s dark? I certainly don’t want someone trying to strain and see as they’re driving by, and clipping a car.”

Wonder World Toys owner Jessica Breaux spoke during public comments about her concern being customers knowing when the store is open.

In regard to having a lighted sign, Breaux said while she understands guidelines are needed, a lighted sign is necessary for nights they’re open later.

“Limitations are fine — but it’s something that I really feel we need,” Breaux said.

“I would love all the other businesses to start having later hours,” she continued. “We can be like Haddonfield, Collingswood, where people can come downtown, go to the restaurants, shop and have nice nightlife.”

“We’re just trying to run our businesses when it comes down to it. We all want to see Main Street succeed,” said Abbie Gailie, owner of Lower Forge Brewery on Main Street.

Gaile said she felt like business owners are a bit lacking in terms of control over the fate of their businesses because of the rules.

“It kind of seems like right now, the township is the parent and we’re all the children getting constantly corrected for what happens on Main Street, which doesn’t breed a very friendly environment,” Gailie said. “And that’s not what really any of us are going for. I’m not speaking for everyone, but I think I could on that we all want to be friends with the township — we all appreciate the challenges.”

Gailie also provided councilmen with an idea she proposed, called the Main Street Initiative, which she felt would be beneficial in giving business owners more control. Watson assured Gailie that comments would be discussed within the subcommittee.

“Medford’s known as like a hidden gem, and that’s not really where you want to open a business, in something that’s hidden — and we’re really well hidden right now,” Gailie joked. “So, anything we can do would be appreciated.”

Medford Business Association president Theresa Freedman also spoke at the meeting, noting the MBA has had retail business representation on their board. Freedman also expressed concern for how fast changes would be made regarding the “open” sign issue.

“It sounds to me like council is aware that the ‘open’ sign issue is very important. The balance of the issues in the remainder of town, I think there might be some fine-tuning to the sign ordinance, but I think in the rest of town, there’s a general sense that the sign ordinance — as it was loosened up a few years ago — is relatively working well,” township planner Scott Taylor said. “That issue can really be in the forefront of how we treat Main Street, so I would expect that it would move much more expeditiously.”

Watson added he doesn’t plan to review the entire sign ordinance, or for the process to take months.

“I think we’re going to have a couple meetings, we’re going to look at some suggestions that I’ve heard from other people, so I think this whole thing is going to be somewhat fast-tracked,” Watson said.

The council also discussed the Park, Public and Education report, noting there’s an unusual “conglomeration of uses” within Medford’s PPE zone, according to Taylor.

“The uses that are customarily in public zones are municipal facilities, municipal buildings, parks, open spaces, as well as schools,” Taylor said. “As a result, there are very few standards within our PPE zoning district.”

Taylor explained that over the years, several uses have been added to the zone, including camps, private residential properties and some places of worship but not all.

According to Taylor, not having clear standards is a disadvantage.

Taylor referred to Medford’s PPE zone as “sort of a catch-all — almost a junk drawer — of zoning districts.”

“We went through and identified a lot of the inconsistencies and some of the lacking items in those ordinances, and inventoried all of those properties and came up with a set of recommendations, that is in the Master Plan,” Taylor said.

The Master Plan, derived from public hearings, was circulated as of December and has been adopted by the planning board. It includes a number of recommendations for re-examination and potential re-zoning of some of the properties in the PPE zones, according to Taylor.

“We’re recommending that they be rezoned to the surrounding zoning districts, in most cases — it then fits a more appropriate use — and then develop those standards for that,” Taylor said.