Bardstown sign committee reviews public comments, charts its path forward

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, 9:30 p.m. — The Bardstown City Council’s Sign Committee reviewed public comments from the previous committee meeting and began to narrow the issues it will address as it moves forward.

Committee member Mary Keene noted that businesses in the historic district can use the popular “Open” pennant signs and some use sandwich or “A-frame” sidewalk signs. Signs placed on the sidewalk in the historic district are not regulated by the sign ordinance but governed by the Historic Review Board.

Keene said that businesses in the city outside the historic district should also have access to the open signs and A-frame signs. The move would allow all city businesses to unify with a look that has become iconic, Keene said. The signs shouldn’t be considered temporary signs in the ordinance, she said.

“They’re really more than temporary signs,” Keen said of the open signs. “They’re part of our landscape now. I would like to see all businesses have the ability to use that same iconic look.”

Keene said that the open pennants and A-frame signs could be covered by the ordinance in areas outside the historic district to prevent what she called “sign creep” — the addition of more signage than allowed. Committee member John Downs agreed with Keene, but added that the ordinance would need to carefully written so the signs are professional in appearance.

Committee member Crystal Brady said the city’s sign ordinance should be more consistent with the county’s sign ordinance. She also said with the number of community events and festivals, Bardstown businesses need to have more than four temporary signs allowed per year. She suggested six, which would give businesses more flexibility to promote events during various community events.

The committee also discussed the regulation of real estate signs. The sign regulations govern the size of real estate signs, but for-sale-by-owner signs sometimes exceed the sizes real estate brokers must follow.

Janes also said real estate agents are asking for the sign ordinance to allow them to place directional signs at the entrances to subdivisions. The discussion eventually focused on the problem of placing signs on the city, county or state-controlled rights-of-way.

The sign ordinance doesn’t regulate signs in rights-of-way, Green noted.

Other issues the sign committee won’t review are the placement of stop signs; deciding who will administer the sign ordinance; and permitting signs in rights-of-way.

NEXT UP. The sign committee meets again at 4 p.m. on Oct. 8, 2014.

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