VENTNOR – To be fair to everyone, the city wants local businesses to abide by regulations set forth in the city’s sign ordinance. With new businesses going before the Planning Board to obtain approval for their signage, long-established businesses need to follow the rules as well, commissioners agreed at the Dec. 13 meeting.
Zoning Officer and Construction Code Official Jimmy Agnesino said he was given authority to enforce the sign ordinance, which regulates the size and location of contractor, real estate, free-standing, digital and business district signs, including awning signs.
“They haven’t been enforced through the years, due to different administrations choosing not to,” Agnesino said. “Now that everyone’s on board, we will enforce them.”
Agnesino said he expects backlash, but he is willing to meet with property owners if they have complaints.
“We will set up a meeting and listen to their concerns,” or as information is compiled, the city could consider revising portions of the ordinance that may be outdated, he said.
The plan is to notify business owners of about the ordinance requirements in a letter to be sent over the next few weeks.
“We want businesses to do well, however, they have taken advantage of past (administrations) not enforcing existing regulations,” Commissioner Lance Landgraf said. “Banners are ok for a certain period of time but leave them up long enough and they start looking ratty.”
The ordinance regulates signage on buildings, sandwich boards, lawn signs and banners. Signage must look professional, be constructed of the proper material and be maintained, Landgraf said.
Ventnor is starting to attract new businesses, such as Santucci’s Square Pizza and the Ventnor Square Movie Theater and Burger Bar, which are required to adhere to the regulations outlined in the ordinance.
“If not, they will have to ask for a variance, and you (have to) justify the (need for) variance,” Landgraf said.
“It is definitely a necessity. It’s getting pretty shoddy out there,” Agnesino said.
The ordinance is written to give business owners leeway and is not onerous, Commissioner Tim Kriebel said.
“If you see a window plastered with pie plates, it almost looks like litter and is visual noise,” Kriebel said.
Landgraf said handing out violation notices might be premature at this time. He said he would prefer that a letter announcing the enforcement campaign be sent to business owners with a copy of the ordinance.
Police will also have input because too much advertising in store windows can be detrimental to public safety, Landgraf said.
“At night, when there is too much signage on the front, the police officers can’t see inside,” Landgraf said.
Mayor Beth Holtzman said that if everyone followed the ordinance, the city would have a “cleaner, consistent look.”
