City Council - Ordinance Committee

Planning Board & Ordinance Committee Minutes Joint Meeting June 20, 2023 Members present: Councilor Riley, Councilor Derby, Councilor Peake Members absent: Also in Attendance: Jesse Belcher-Timme, James Zarvis, Ken Iavecchia, Jeff Bagg, Chris Cockshaw, Harry Schumann, Daniel Hartman, Jeff Bagg The meeting called to order by Councilor Derby at 6:00 pm 1. Public Speak Time: Chair Board of Trustees from Easthampton Congregational Church spoke about modifying the ordinance covering electronic signs. The current ordinance allows some variation of an LED sign. Still, the Building Commissioner wouldn’t sign off on it because the remote changing of the LED sign violated the zoning ordinance. Planner Bagg identified an electronic sign and changeable sign definition in the zoning ordinance. The discrepancy evolves around the sign being deemed an LED sign, not a changeable one. The definitions are incompatible. Councilor Peake agreed that the ordinance needed to be revised. The Ordinance Committee agreed that it needed to be addressed in our deliberations before the Joint Meeting with the Planning Board. Councilor Derby invited the Chair Board of Trustees to the Ordinance Committee to discuss the issues more openly without restrictions of open meeting laws which limits discussion on the topic tonight. 2. Approval of the April 25th, May 9th, and June 6th meeting notes: The meeting minutes will be approved at the June 21st meeting. 3. Other: Amend Section 10.04, Signs to add: Section 10.04 (m)(7): Exemption for municipal property: No provisions of Section 10.04 of the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to Electronic Messaging Centers shall apply to the municipal property or for municipal uses. This exemption shall apply to signs that are stationary, fixed or mobile and movable. Councilor Derby gave an overview to the Planning Board of the Ordinance Committee’s deliberations on the current Zoning Ordinance. Planning Member Zarvis inquired about modification of the current language or replacing the entire zoning ordinance. Councilor Derby clarified that it is the first step in a much larger modification of the Zoning Ordinance to create a municipal exemption. Planning Member Zarvis asked if that process would involve community engagement. Councilor Derby confirmed it would be discussed within the committee and city council meetings.  Councilor Peake suggested we limit signs within the residential communities but would want to allow municipal exemptions in case of road closures or other emergencies.  A motion was made by Planning Member Zarvis and seconded by Planning Member Cockshaw that the City Council amend Section 10.04 to add Section 10.04 (m)(7): Exemption for municipal property. Vote 6-0 Approved.  A motion was made by Councilor Peake and seconded by Councilor Riley that the City Council amend Section 10.04 to add Section 10.04 (m)(7): Exemption for municipal property. Vote: 3-0 Approved. Next regular meeting: June 21st at 5:30 PM. Councilor Peake made a motion to adjourn, and Councilor Riley seconded. Vote: 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:17 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Councilor Brad Riley Clerk to the Ordinance Committee