Planning Board discusses signage

By CaROL BROOKs FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com

Do digital signs belong in an historic area such as Jamestown — or does the town need them at all?

This question, and many more, was asked at the June 12 Planning Board meeting as the Board considered amendments to the Land Development Ordinance.

A large portion of the LDO amendments had to do with the Town’s sign ordinance. Some of the changes were very minor, some were clarified and some moved to a more fitting section of the ordinance.

But the digital signage section created the majority of discussion for the Planning Board.

Digital signs were previously allowed anywhere in the town, but now are restricted to Civic, Commercial and Bypass zoning districts. They are no longer allowed in residential areas. Additionally, the displayed message must show for 10 seconds, not the previous 5, to allow motorists time to read. The board also discussed extending the period when the signs must be turned off overnight.

Current digital signs do not have to meet the new restrictions due to being grandfathered under the old ordinance. However, if the signs need to be replaced, the new rules will be applied. If not, owners will be fined for non-compliance.

Planning Director Anna Hawryluk clarified the grandfather rule relating to digital signage.

“It is grandfathered in on all things including brightness, motion and hours. However, the Town’s ordinance already has fairly strict limitations on all of those things,” Hawryluk said. “If someone has a complaint about a sign that may be violating those limitations they should contact the Planning Department so we can contact the business and enforce the ordinance.”

The proposed amendments limit where other types of signage are allowed. Windblown signage like streamers, spinners, balloons and inflatables are prohibited. Flags displayed on a permanent flagpole are allowed. Pennant-style or feather flags are prohibited. Menu or sandwich boards are allowed. Only one temporary sandwich board is allowed per establishment and only on paved surfaces.

Several categories of signage are allowed without a permit.

Some of these include temporary real estate, campaign, events, directional or warning signs, permanent historical or memorial signage, etc. All must be on private property and outside of the public street right-of-way.

The final amendment had to do with pet waste, rather than signage. The new wording states “Dogs at large prohibited. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to allow the animal to be outside an enclosure or otherwise confined and not on a leash in the Town of Jamestown. This restric- tion does not apply within the boundaries of a legal dog park.”

For several years, the Town hired Alliance Code Enforcement to make certain the town’s codes were enforced. Beginning July 1, Ty Cheek, planning technician, will take on that responsibility.

Cheek joined the town staff in October of last year.

The full list of LDO amendments can be found in the June 12 Planning Board packet at www.jamestown-nc.gov/my-government/meeting-minutes-andschedules. The YouTube video is available at www.youtube.com/@ TownofJamestownNC/streams.

The Town Council will discuss the LDO amendments at a later date, tentatively scheduled for the Aug. 22 meeting.