Moultonborough residents to decide on sign moratorium

Moultonborough, NH
19 July

Residents will decide on a special warrant article calling for a moratorium on electronic signs this weekend.The warrant article was generated by a petition signed by 98 residents and was presented to the Board of Selectmen. Because the article has no implications for the town budget, the selectmen had the authority to declare a special town meeting without having to petition the court. New electronic signs have appeared at several local businesses, including several real estate offices and Murphy's Mobil on Route 25. The signs can change lettering and display the time and temperature."Some people find that a disturbance and that it's not keeping with the charm if the town," said Town Administrator Chuck Connell.The article calls for a moratorium on electronic signs until the planning board can meet and decide on a change to the ordinance."Right now, if you submit an application, it meets the provisions of the zoning ordinance, the selectmen can't pick and choose," Connell said.If the article passes, it would "stall any more approvals until it is acted on," which will likely happen at town meeting in 2008.Article 5, Section D of the town zoning ordinance prohibits signs that are "intermittently illuminated" or of a "traveling light type, animated, or flashing" except if the illumination shows the time and temperatures.The amended sign ordinance would prohibit signs with any fixed, video, electronic, floating, or moving text and images created by lights, LEDs, diodes, holographs, liquid crystal, fiber optics, and hologram display. The only signs that would be exempt from the ordinance are signs meant for traffic use.Connell said the issue was initially raised in January, too late for inclusion on the 2007 town warrant. In June, the petition with 98 signatures was presented to the selectmen who authorized a special town meeting.Shortly before Moultonborough's petition was turned in, Meredith announced it would hold a special vote on whether to ban electronic signs. The Meredith decision was prompted by resident concerned about a few new electronic signs appearing in town, as well as a court ruling against Concord's ordinance, allowing the time and temperature as the only electronic messages permitted on signs.The special town meeting will decide on the article and serve as an informational town meeting, especially for summer residents. An informational town meeting was first held in 2006 and will take place again this year with discussion of several topics, including a presentation on the Official Ballot Act, commonly known as SB2.The informational town meeting will take place this Saturday at 9 a.m., with the summer informational meeting being held during the first half. The warrant article will be discussed starting at 10:30 a.m.There will be a public hearing on the article today at 7:15 p.m.

Source: The Citizen of Laconia

By ERIN PLUMMER