Planning commission, Bardstown leaders agree to work on sign ordinance

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Commission member Mark Mathis listens to discussion about the commission’s enforcement of the City of Bardstown’s sign ordinance.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 11:56 p.m. —  Signs point to a settlement in the disagreement between the Joint City-County Planning Commission and the City of Bardstown regarding the enforcement and administration of the city’s sign ordinance.

The commission’s special meeting Tuesday night was  prompted by a request from Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles after the commission put the city on formal notice it would no longer administer the city’s sign ordinance. The move came after the council overturned a sign ordinance notice of violation at its meeting Tuesday, July 24.

After more than an hour of discussion among the commission and with input from city officials, a plan was developed and approved for the commission to once again administer and enforce the sign ordinance.

The commission voted unanimously to once again administer the city sign ordinance with a plan for improvements that include:

— immediate revisions to the sign ordinance to remove vague language;

— a long-term plan to review and revise  the ordinance with planning commission input;

— and eventually incorporating the improved sign ordinance language into the city-county zoning regulations.

Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles assures the commission the city will do its part to revise the sign ordinance and to have it adopted into the city-county zoning regulations.

Chairman Todd Johnson told the commission that after the city overturned the notice of violation, it left the commission with an ordinance that was unenforceable.

Commission attorney Michael Coen told the commission that doing nothing about the sign ordinance wasn’t a good option; and neither was was asking the city council to take over administration and enforcement of its sign ordinance.

“Elected officials are poorly suited to administer the sign ordinance,” he told the commission. “Put the emotions aside and decide what’s best for the community.”

The commission members generally agreed that it was the best body for administration of the sign ordinance, but only if the ordinance wording could be improved. The commission also agreed the sign ordinance should be integrated back into the city-county zoning regulations — a move that would remove the city council from hearing sign ordinance appeals.

Commission member Andy Hall asked how the existing sign ordinance could be enforced without changes to answer some of its ambiguity, and how quickly the ordinance could be modified.

Administrator Jan Johnston-Crowe said she and Larry Green, assistant city administrator, could get together to address the ambiguous language regarding temporary signs and have it done quickly.

Members of the commission expressed concern at enforcing the ordinance prior to any revisions. Johnston-Crowe said her office would not enforce the parts of the ordinance that are in question. Prompt revisions of the ordinance would take care of that issue, she said.

In addition to the mayor, councilmen John Royalty, Bobby Simpson, Roland Williams and Tommy Reed attended the meeting.

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