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Keene Zoning Board approves electronic marquee for Colonial Theater with limits on animation
Summary
The Zoning Board unanimously granted a variance allowing the Colonial Theater at 95 Main Street to replace its manual marquee copy board with an electronically activated changeable-copy display, subject to a condition prohibiting animated, blinking, scrolling or flashing images or text.
The Keene Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to allow the Colonial Theater at 95 Main Street to replace the theater’s manual marquee copy board with an electronically activated changeable-copy sign, provided the display is not used for animated, blinking, scrolling or flashing images or text.
Planner Evan Clements told the board the marquee occupies the existing marquee opening and that a similar variance had been approved in 2022 but lapsed when the project did not move forward. Applicant Kevin Barela and Keith Marks, executive director of the Colonial Performing Arts Center, said the proposal would match the current size and brightness of the backlit copy board while replacing outdated wiring and fixtures and removing the need for employees to change letters manually.
Ed Kenny of Watchfire Signs described the technology to the board, saying the message center can present static images that either change instantly or fade between frames, can be programmed with a minimum hold time (NH DOT guidance of roughly 10 seconds was discussed), and automatically dims to about 10% of full brightness at night. Local signmaker Peter Knessa, who helped revise Keene’s sign code, told the board he supports renovating the marquee but urged limits on off‑premise advertising and suggested a black‑letter-on-white backlit look as a possible compromise.
Board members worked through the five variance criteria, noting the structure and lit area of the marquee would not change, that the upgrade would reduce safety risks tied to manually changing letters, and that replacement parts for the existing mid‑century fixtures are effectively unavailable. The board adopted applicant‑proposed language and an earlier condition clarifying that the sign “shall not be used to display animated, blinking, scrolling, or flashing images or text,” and approved the variance on a motion by Guyot, seconded by Le Roy.
The board’s action applies only to 95 Main Street and to the specific sign described in the application; any future sign proposals would be evaluated separately.
