By Chris Frost
Eagle Times News Editor
CLAREMONT, NH — An effort to streamline the process of placing new signs in the city’s historic district needs more work before it gets approved.
The City Council rejected an amended sign ordinance Wednesday, Sept. 27, in hopes streamlining the process for placing new signs in the historic district. The ordinance will be reviewed again by the council in a future meeting pending additional changes to the draft.
Assistant Mayor Deborah Matteau introduced the ordinance, which Councilor Spencer Batchelder seconded.
When the ordinance returns, it will be changed from the use of plastic, vinyl and other synthetic materials being prohibited as they are out of character for the Historic District and be changed to allow, not prohibit, the signs.
The original amended ordinance exempts the need for a certificate of appropriateness if specific standards are met.
“Wood and metal signs are allowed, but plastic, vinyl, and other synthetic signs are prohibited because they are out of character with the Historic District. Affixed and freestanding signs are permitted,” the original ordinance stated.
“There are two goals to this amendment,” said City Planner deForest Bearse. “We’re streamlining this process for signs in the Historic District and implementing the city-centered design guidelines adopted in 2013 when there was an overhaul of zoning.”
Councilor Jonathan Stone asked if the ordinance went before the Historic Committee, and Bearse said it did in 2022. Councilor Nicholas Koloski saw the ordinance at the planning board level and supports the ordinance.
“For the last decade, I’ve heard numerous complaints when people move into downtown and don’t have a set of guidelines,” Koloski said. “You’re given enough leeway to get in trouble and get a notification from the city. I’m glad something is drafted and we’re at this level.”
Matteau said the ordinance is a “great step forward.”
“I’m always looking for ways to make Claremont business-friendly, and it avoids people having to go through an expensive and drawn-out process when they can look at a set of guidelines and create their sign,” she said. “This makes it more efficient, and hopefully, we’ll move toward more of that type of thing for businesses.”
Stone asked if Pleasant Street is part of the Historic District, which Bease confirmed, and further questioned if items were added on Pleasant Street for revitalization outside the character of the Historic District.
Bearse thinks some are. Koloski agrees but thinks what’s in the ordinance is fair to businesses moving into the community.
“They have a set of guidelines to go by that doesn’t cost them money to go and be heard,” he said. “These are simple, quick answers to what you might be doing. Do I agree overall with the concept of downtown and the Historic District and the direction things are going? No. Do I agree the light posts don’t match the historic architecture? Do I agree about the vinyl banners hanging on the poles? No.”
Stone appreciates the efforts to streamline the process and reduce the abundance of paperwork, as well as the time it requires to complete.
Matteau said the stricter requirements will remain on the books if the council doesn’t adopt the ordinance.
“If we want to be less restrictive, we adopt this ordinance,” she said. “I don’t disagree, but the city doesn’t have to obey its own rules to go before the boards. They can do whatever they want. Do I agree with that? No, I don’t, but I believe this is going to help business owners going forward compared to what we have now.”
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