Taking a New Look at Business Signs in Tolland

The business owners of Tolland spoke loud and clear on Monday night's business sign conversation with elected officials: there's a lot to discuss about signage regulations in town. 

Several dozen local business owners, Economic Development Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission members gathered at Nerac to try and figure out where the town should go with signage regulations in the future.

A number of issues were brought up, but many owners said that current regulations are not enough to help businesses effectively advertise to their customers.

"You look at Meeting House Commons, and half the people don't even know what businesses are in there," said Jeff Ruest, owner of . 

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owner and P&ZC member Dave Barrow highlighted the topic's importance, adding that a business' sign is the least costly and most effective way for most businesses to advertise to their clients.

Several key takeaways were:

• Temporary signs (such as those for lawn care businesses, non-profit blood drives, etc.) should be a uniform size. Businesses should also be allowed to leave signs at work sites after a job is done, for a specified period of time. Currently, according to Planning & Community Development Director Linda Farmer, temporary signage is only allowed when a property is being worked on, preventing businesses from advertising on a "finished product" like a re-landscaped yard.
• New business owners should receive an informational package of pertinent information, including signage regulations, when either registering their business or through some interaction with the town, so that signage rules are properly communicated to those who need to know about them.
• The town should try to streamline sign regulations through different zoning districts, when possible, for permanent and temporary signs. An obvious exemption would be the historic district sign regulations, but other reasonable zoning differences should also be observed.

P&ZC Chairperson Marilee Beebe said that the conversation was a great starting place for the commission, which will begin to discuss the regulations at its meetings for possible revisions.

"I thought the feedback tonight was excellent," she said. "I think the next step is for the commission to put this on its agenda and to start having planning sessions."

The P&ZC and EDC organized the conversation.

Farmer said that the business sign regulations were last overhauled in 2006, with several modifications made more recenty.

Currently, businesses can have a permanent sign at a maximum size of 32 square feet, according to Farmer. Internal illumination is not allowed, but indirect lighting has been approved. Temporary signage is only available for businesses when they are working on a site, as well. 

Farmer added that there are exceptions to these rules throughout town, mainly because these signs were "grandfathered" in after the regulations were modified.

She also said that a comprehensive source of signage regulations will be available soon on the town's website.