Aberdeen revamps sign ordinance for biz district
Promotional signs would be allowed for special events
BY JACQUELINE HLAVENKA
Staff Writer
ABERDEEN — With the holiday shopping season just weeks away, the Aberdeen Township Council introduced a new signage ordinance that would allow local businesses to promote seasonal sales and special events more prominently throughout the township.
The ordinance, introduced on Oct. 19, permits temporary grand-opening signs and promotional signage for holiday events, seasonal sales and anniversary celebrations in various zones, including highway commercial, regional commercial, manufacturing, light industrial and research/office.
In order to increase marketability and visibility for local businesses, the township’s business council subcommittee worked on the amendment to accommodate the needs of the business community and other township institutions.
“It will allow all the businesses to do something four times a year to advertise how they want, which they have not been able to do in years,” said Councilman Owen Drapkin. “I thank [Township Manager] Joe [Criscuolo] and [Zoning Officer] Maxine [Rescorl] and everybody else who worked on this. I think it’s a great start for the business council.”
According to the ordinance, which did not previously allow the promotional signs, businesses that wish to apply for temporary signage are required to complete an application process through the township’s zoning office.
Grand-opening signs, such as banners, flags, pennants and lawn signs, must be weatherproof and must not exceed 10 percent of the wall where the sign will be attached.
With the approval of the zoning officer, the temporary grand-opening signs have a sunset provision of 14 days before the sign must be taken down. The fee for the grandopening signage application is $50.
For special and promotional events, the township must receive applications for temporary signage six weeks in advance. Special events may be held four times a year for a period of two weeks during each calendar quarter, and the two-week period may run consecutively or separately within the quarter, the ordinance states.
Special-event signs must be removed two business days after the event, and the zoning fee is $25 per two consecutive weeks.

Lawn signs, according to the ordinance, must be no larger than 22 inches by 28 inches and must be on the store owner or landlord’s property.
If approved, the maximum number of lawn signs cannot exceed six. The lawn signs may remain in place for a two-week period each quarter, which may be broken up into one-week intervals.
However, several signs are prohibited under the amended ordinance, including sandwich-board signs, blackboard-style signs, animated signs, and advertising device signs such as blimps, balloons and blow-ups.
If the ordinance is adopted upon final reading, Mayor Fred Tagliarini hopes the new signage regulations will help the business community and the municipality work together.
“If we get this through, the first time they [businesses] can apply will be [around] the holiday [season],” he said.
The township’s Planning Board reviewed the ordinance and made a motion to send it back to the Township Council for action at a meeting on Oct. 20.