Sign law revision disturbs business

POTSDAM — The village Board of Trustees has declared a moratorium on its off-premise sign law until the code can be reviewed and revised.

Arts, nonprofit and business leaders pleaded with trustees to change the sign code at the village board's Monday night meeting.

"We're one week out from my season premiere and it's devastating to the orchestra to drive downtown and not see all our signs," said Tiffany L. Conn, business director for the Orchestra of Northern New York. "For 22 years, we've followed the same protocols."

Code Enforcement Officer John F. Hill distributed letters to downtown business owners asking them to remove flyers and posters from their storefronts last week.

"One of the biggest parts of our advertising plans are these posters. If a poster doesn't get up in one place where someone is used to seeing it all the time, they will call up to see if the show is still on," said R. Bernard Mulvaney, Community Performance Series' education outreach and marketing coordinator.

Hilary M. Oak, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Arts Council, said that Mr. Hill's courtesy letter was "confusing" and the law was unclear about whether nonprofit organizations need to apply and pay for permits in order to hang posters.

"It kind of breaks my heart a little bit. This is not the time we need to be cracking down on arts organizations that bring people from all over the north country to Potsdam," said Brenda L. Thornton, executive director of the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce.

Michael R. Sitton, dean of SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, also spoke out against the sign code.

"This is a vibrant, active and varied arts community," he said. "I'm confident that we can develop a sensible approach to allowing arts organizations to get the word out and continue to foster a fertile environment here for arts, business and the whole community."

Frederick J. Hanss, the village's planning and development director, recommended that trustees seek advice from the village Planning Board on revising the sign code. The board voted unanimously, 4-0, to declare a 90-day moratorium on the part of the law that related to off-premise signs for nonprofits, arts and community events.

Trustee Steven W. Yurgartis apologized to the arts leaders at the meeting.

"I think there's a glitch in our law. I don't think it's appropriately written," he said.

The village Planning Board will take up the code at its next meeting so that it can make a recommendation for a law change, Mr. Hanss said.