Greenwich P&Z To Hold Public Workshop On Sign And Lighting Regulations

GREENWICH, CT — Following the recent controversy surrounding a flower display outside an Old Greenwich business, the town's Planning & Zoning Commission and the Architectural Review Committee will hold a public workshop via Zoom on Thursday at 7 p.m. on the topic of signage, awnings and exterior lighting.

"We learned from recent public feedback that there are questions and concerns about the town's signage regulations. Specifically, several businesses have installed or expressed an interest in faux floral facade decor. The displays don’t comply with our current regulations and violation notices have been issued," said Planning & Zoning Director Katie DeLuca in a news release. "Since then, we have been receiving emails both from individuals concerned the displays could get out of hand and also from those who believe our regulations should be more flexible."

Planning & Zoning Commission Chair Margarita Alban said "we don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater."

"The goal is to develop regulations that are clear and widely supported so local businesses don't feel unduly limited or waste their money on displays that don’t comply. At the same time, our research tells us communities similar to Greenwich do tend to have fairly specific and strict standards," she said in a news release. "Going forward, the best way for us to support our merchants is to ensure the attractiveness of our business districts is protected by fair and consistently applied regulations."

The public workshop is part of a P&Z and ARC joint project which began in February to update the Building Zone Regulations as they relate to signage, awnings and exterior lighting.

The goal of the project is two-fold, P&Z said. The first is to update the regulations to reflect current technology, trends and law. The second goal is to conduct a comprehensive study and plan for streetscape improvements, focused primarily on signage, to enhance sense of place for the neighborhoods of Byram, Central Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside, Old Greenwich, Glenville, Chickahominy, Pemberwick and Banksville.

"Neighborhood plans have already been adopted for many of these areas; a common theme expressed for them by residents is to have uniform signage that strengthens sense of place and community feel," P&Z said in a news release. "This effort will result in new regulation regarding parameters on size, height, location, and lighting requirements. Among the topics to be considered are flashing or interior illuminated signs, energy efficient lighting, seasonal building decorations, window signs, fluorescent signs etc."

Key regulations to be updated are:

• Division 14- Lighting Requirements
• Division 16- Signs
• Division 6-136- Awnings
• Section 6-5- Definitions