Politics & Government

Illuminated Storefront Signs Still on City's Radar

The Melrose Board of Aldermen are awaiting potential recommendations from the Planning Board that would address flashing neon or LED illuminated retail signs.

It's been about six months since the Melrose Board of Aldermen first discussed concerns over in Melrose storefront windows, but they haven't forgotten about it.

On Monday, the board sent the original order on that topic—which has been bouncing back and forth between the board and the aldermen's Protection and License Committee—back to committee.

At this point, the aldermen are waiting for a recommendation from the Planning Board, whose Zoning Subcommittee has been meeting regularly for several months to discuss possible amendments to the signage section of the city's zoning ordinance that could address the signs in question.

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Ward 3 Alderman Frank Wright said at Monday's meeting that based on his research and conversations with Melrose City Solicitor Rob Van Campen, it's his opinion that the zoning ordinance forbids flashing or intermittent lighting that faces out on to a public way.

"I don't think we need to do any amending or zoning ordinances," said Wright, himself a city solicitor for Somerville. "I would like to have the comments of the Planning Director, Ms. (Denise) Gaffey, and Building Inspector Paul Johnson as well. However, I think at this point we can ask that he (Johnson) move forward in enforcing the zoning ordinance with regard to the signs, turning off the flashing portion of the signs. Hopefully that will help solve this problem."

Find out what's happening in Melrosewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

However, Alderman at-Large Mary Beth McAteer Margolis and Ward 2 Alderman Monica Medeiros pointed out that the Planning Board's subcommittee had been meeting regularly to discuss possible amendments. Medeiros made the motion, which passed unanimously, to send the order back to the Protection and License committee.

On Wednesday, Gaffey said that other projects—some that have firm deadlines, such as the —have taken up most of the staff's time in the city's Office of Planning and Community Development, but that the Zoning Subcommittee has made progress towards developing some recommendations. Those full Planning Board would then review those recommendations and come to a consensus before sending them to the aldermen.

"We’re pretty close to having a final draft," she said. "The subcommittee needs to meet one more time and we’ll probably be at a point where they can present the draft to the Planning Board. That’s not going to happen before Monday (the Planning Board's next meeting); it’s possible it could happen at our next Planning Board meeting in June ... it's still very much on our agenda."


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