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Parsippany board grants United Methodist Church variance for new freestanding sign
Summary
The Parsippany Planning Board granted a c variance to the United Methodist Church for a larger freestanding sign closer to the roadway; testimony addressed visibility, internal illumination limited to letters and a cross, and the option to reduce floodlight hours.
The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Planning Board recommended granting a c variance to the United Methodist Church (Application 24:58) to replace an aging monument sign with a larger freestanding sign placed closer to the roadway. The board's approval followed testimony from the applicant's representative and from the sign manufacturer about orientation, size and lighting.
Lisa LaMello, representing the applicant, told the board the new sign will be placed perpendicular to the road to make it more visible to north‑ and southbound traffic. Jeffrey Packard of Pacsign Fixture and Media Systems, the sign manufacturer, testified the sign would be built in Buffalo, New York and installed locally. Packard said that only the top portion of the sign — specifically the letters and a cross symbol — would be internally illuminated; the lower three panels will be non‑illuminated and will be lit with modest ground lighting. "The only thing that actually lights are those letters and the cross itself," Packard said on the record.
Board members questioned why the sign must exceed the zoning size limits, whether a smaller single‑panel sign would suffice, and whether the lighting might affect nearby residences on the curved roadway. Packard and the applicant argued that orientation and letter size affect legibility at roadway speeds and that the proposed configuration is comparable in overall area to the existing sign despite the orientation change.
A trustee for the United Methodist Church said the congregation has raised funds to replace the roughly 60‑year‑old sign because the old lighting no longer works and repeated banner postings were unsightly. The trustee said the third panel is intended for occasional church event notices and to provide a cleaner alternative to temporary banners.
During discussion, the applicant's representative acknowledged the board could ask for time‑limited floodlight operation; counsel suggested floodlights could be turned off after 10 or 11 p.m. but the transcript does not record a formal lighting condition added to the board's approval. The board moved to grant the c variance and recorded a roll‑call vote with multiple 'Yes' votes; the motion passed.
The approval allows the church to proceed with sign fabrication and local installation, subject to any conditions the board or administrative staff finalize in writing.
