Secondary Signage Approved For Chester Businesses

By Nancy D'Uva

Chester Borough businesses will have more opportunities to promote their services, thanks to an ordinance that will allow them to have secondary signage.

The ordinance was introduced at the Aug. 6 Mayor and Council meeting and is set to be adopted at the next meeting on Aug. 20.

The council worked with the Historic Chester Business Association (HCBA) and the Planning Board on the ordinance.

“There was a lot of discussion about this,” Mayor Bob Davis said, who thanked HCBA President Kathy Barbieri as well as the planning board for working on it. “And thank you, Jennifer [Cooper-Napolitano, councilwoman and community relations committee chair] for spearheading it.”

Chester Boro had been called out for persecuting their businesses over the use of secondary signs. Many business owners expressed frustration over the stringent restrictions and the Boro took one business owner to court last year over a secondary sign, and lost.

The ordinance calls for businesses to request licenses for temporary secondary signs.

It also contains specifications, including materials, design, color, and dimensions, of the secondary signs, including A-frame signs and wall or railing mounted signs. The ordinance also lists general requirements and procedures and limitations of the signage.

The ordinance also calls for a Temporary Secondary Sign Advisory Committee that will review and approve applications for the temporary secondary signs and issue licenses.

Application forms will be available at the office of the zoning officer.

The licenses will be valid for a year. The fee for a one-sided sign will be $25, and a two-sided sign will be $50.