Sign Ordinance Goes Before Borough Council

Donna Cali-Charles and H.H. Montague from the Borough Planning Board will present the proposed sign ordinance to the Chatham Borough Council on Monday night.

The council first tasked the Planning Board with revising the sign ordinance after an anonymous person revealed a loophole that did not prohibit advertising and nonpolitical signs from being placed on borough property, without limit as to number, by putting 12 signs on the lawn in front of the Chatham Borough Municipal Building.

The Planning Board approved a draft of the new sign ordinance in January after looking at advertising, political and promotional signs in both the Main Street business zones and the residential zones.

The new ordinance will close the loophole by explicitly prohibiting political signs or banners in front of the Borough Municipal Building or the Library of the Chathams.

Other Business

Also on the agenda for Monday night's meeting, Cindy Steffens will present a resolution for the borough to adopt a Green Grounds & Maintenance and Energy Star Equipment Program.

Steffens is the chair of the Green Initiatives Committee, and was a driving force behind the borough's attaining Sustainable Jersey Bronze certification in 2010. She and the other members of the Green Team are now working toward Silver certification in 2011.

The council will also vote on an ordinance that would replace the current towing regulations and replace it with an ordinance that would cover both towing and storage.

There are also two bond ordinances on the agenda that would appropriate the sums of $1,797,911 and $159,135, respectively Ordinance #1-12 and #11-13, both to go toward the Department of Public Works and the Police Department.