Weathersfield adds to sign zoning laws

The commission reviewed regulations from several area communities.

By MARY SMITH

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

MINERAL RIDGE — Weathersfield Township Zoning Commission has approved changes to the township’s sign zoning laws and will forward them to the Trumbull County Planning Commission for its approval.

New laws approved Wednesday added to current sign zoning laws and were drawn from the commission’s investigation of zoning laws from several other communities, new chairman Fred McCandless said.

New laws include that no sign will be located so that it causes a safety hazard, and any sign illuminated with lights will not be allowed where the illumination interferes with safety or the general welfare.

For temporary access signs, there is to be no more than one sign, or two in the case of a corner lot displayed on street frontage.

Signs must advertise a price or special which is in conjunction with the permitted use of the property and only advertise the services or products provided at the location.

Accessory temporary signs are to be no larger than 32 square feet, must not be illuminated and not placed in the right of way and in no way obstruct traffic visibility.

No vehicle, trailer or portable message sign is allowed to be parked permanently or otherwise on public or private property advertising the service or products at that or any other location or directing traffic to it.

A special-event permit will be issued for 30 days for a sign, and the sign must be removed 48 hours after the event is over.

Among regulations for housing development signs is that they can be placed at the main or primary entrance to the development and situated so as not to obstruct normal traffic.

Signs will not be located within 15 feet from the public right of way and will not be located within 50 feet of adjacent residential property.

The signs must be monument type only. No pole or pylon signs are permitted.

Each development sign must have no more than two individual sign faces — a single two-sided sign or two, one-sided signs. Signs must be ground-mounted and cannot exceed 6 feet in height. The total sign area of all signs allowed cannot exceed 60 square feet, and in no case can the area of an individual sign exceed 30 square feet.

Once the county commission approves the proposed changes, the townhip zoning panel will have a public hearing on them. If the township panel approves the changes after that hearing, the new sign laws will be sent to the trustees for a public hearing and their vote of approval.

In reorganizational business, the commission named McCandless as chairman, Mary Sohayda as vice chairman and Dave Sylak as treasurer.