Signs Cause Stir in West Windsor
Signs continue to be a hot topic in West Windsor, with recent discussions addressing the proliferation of bigger, bolder signs on commercial buildings; the township’s own sign at the corner of Clarksville Road and Route 571; and the political campaign signs that will soon start dotting the township landscape.
A Planning Board hearing on September 7 for a sign waiver uncovered a critical issue regarding the current West Windsor ordinance regulating signs for commercial buildings. At the hearing Wells Fargo Home Mortgage at 600 Alexander Road applied to install a 19.2 square foot, internally-illuminated, red and yellow Wells Fargo sign.
As the application was being discussed, planning and zoning consultant John A. Madden arrived and informed the board that Wells Fargo did not technically need to request a sign waiver because under the language in West Windsor’s current signage ordinance one sign per business is permitted to be displayed.
“The language should read one sign per building and not one sign per business,” said Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner. But Gardner told Wells Fargo officials that their hearing could proceed. But he also asked land use manager Sam Surtees to revise the ordinance.
“The language that must be amended would have unintended consequences, specifically signage that would permit, within this zone, multiple signs depending upon the number of tenants within the building. The board will recommend that township officials immediately provide revisions relevant to the changes necessary and submit the revisions to the planning board for its consideration,” Gardner said.
A literal interpretation would have stifled Wells Fargo’s attempt to be the sole sign on the side of the building. Up to that point the attorney for Wells Fargo, Russell Finestein of Livingston-based Finestein & Malloy, had provided three witnesses for the hearing: the Wells Fargo branch manager, an employee of the company making the sign, and a professional planner.
The hearing was routine until Madden’s comments, as Wells Fargo argued that customers had trouble finding their location off of Canal Pointe Boulevard. As the largest tenant, occupying 11 percent of the building since 1996, Wells Fargo claimed it needed to enhance its physical visibility as potential customers often get confused with the Wells Fargo branch location on the eastern side of Route 1. Wells Fargo also argued that a competitor, Sovereign Bank, located at 619 Alexander Road, had a clearly visible sign.
The board voted unanimously to grant the waiver.
Township’s Sign: A Sign of Trouble?
While the debate over signage may continue at future planning board sessions, the township has faced criticism for the new community bulletin-board style electronic sign at the corner of Clarksville Road and Route 571. Constructed earlier this year, its red letters can blink and flash messages about local events such as the farmer’s market and school meetings.
Some have complained that the sign is not only distracting, but it doesn’t display information well enough. The administration sees it as a key point of information for residents, many of whom pass by that location each day. “For anything that they need to be aware of, this gives us another vehicle, along with the Internet, our web page, and press releases. We can also give people information they may not get from those sources and it’s one of the most heavily traveled intersections in the township,” said Business Administrator Robert Hary.
According to Hary the process of putting up an official sign at that corner goes back 10 years. He said in 2009 the council allocated $50,000 to construct the sign, but he doesn’t believe it cost the full amount.
Hary stated that its purpose was to have an instant method of notifying residents of goings on in the township. He said it worked very well during Hurricane Irene as notices about shelters at the high schools were posted along with updates on the lack of power at certain schools. Hary also said letting the public know about important council meetings or discussions was one more advantage.
Hary acknowledges the negative reactions but said he’s heard support for it too. “A few people have questioned it and its safety or the way it looks. For the most part we’ve been getting positive feedback,” he said.
Resident Larry McGill posted comments online in support of the sign. “This feels more professional to me and smartly takes advantage of available information technologies, which could come in very useful during emergencies. I learned about the 9/11 commemoration via this sign and, among other things, it reminded me of the farmer’s market hours. To some, this may seem trivial, but I am not in the habit of actively seeking out this kind of information and it’s good to be reminded,” McGill wrote in a West Windsor Google discussion group.
At council and planning board meetings in early September Gregory Harris, a write-in running for town council, spoke about the issue.
“Riddle me this: what intersection in West Windsor has the highest concentration of teen drivers?” Harris said as he began his comments at a recent council meeting.
Harris was with his teenage daughter practicing a drive to school when he says they were almost in an accident when she was distracted by the flashing sign. Harris said the same distraction happened to him one day while driving on Clarksville Road as the sun was setting in the evening.
“We’re at council meetings firing the town animal control officer over $5,000 in savings yet we’re putting up this big, bright red sign that looks like Las Vegas. Instead of town center they decided to put it across from the entrance to the high school on the opposite side, so the kids are distracted while turning to go to the parking lot,” he said.
Several online forum comments agree with Harris’ point. Susan Conlon said the sign causes a real distraction. “Considering the heavy traffic on Route 571 and need to pay careful attention to crossing or turning, whether in a car and as a pedestrian (including the students at WW-P High School South) I find it hard to understand why a sign like this that can cause a distraction to motorists would be installed at this location,” she wrote.
Political Signs
More signage conversations will take place in October. After the September 19 vote to accept the InterCap settlement, Council made a motion to introduce an ordinance barring political signs on lawns before October 1 for a November election and seven days after an election takes place.
A public hearing on this issue was scheduled for Monday, October 3. Regardless of any action taken, signage and campaigning for this November’s election will not be impacted.
