New Jersey Township Tightens Sign Code

The Freehold (NJ) News Transcript reported that Freehold Township municipal officials have created a more “uniform” sign code. Robert McGirr, a township committeeman who directs the sign-ordinance committee, says the ordinance revisions have been in process for more than a year.

“Ordinances were developed over the years, and they addressed signs for specific zones in different township areas,” he said. “… We wanted all signs to be under the umbrella of one sign ordinance that would address the color, size and style of the signs, among other details.”

According to the ordinance text, its purpose is “to regulate the use of signs so that they are compatible with their surroundings, to promote the aesthetic character of the township, to establish signs that are compatible with the architectural requirements for nonresidential buildings and uses, to promote traffic safety, to maintain property values, and to represent the identity of individual proprietors and of the township as a whole.”

McGirr said, “We think we have come up with a good ordinance here that will allow for aesthetically pleasing signs that will also be architecturally in line with the Colonial character of the town, and still do the job the businesses need.”

The ordinance amendment, which will apply to new Freehold businesses, addresses a specific color palette that can be used for signs, and prohibits signs “using blinking, flashing, vibrating, moving, rotating or flickering lights or illumination, or varying in intensity of color or brightness, except for time-temperature-date signs.”