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Farmington planning commission begins review of sign rules after lengthy debate over measurement, monument and halo signage
Summary
Planning staff and commissioners discussed how to measure 'front of building' for attached‑sign area, handling complex properties such as the Exchange (270 Farmington Ave), directional/monument signage and whether to allow halo/backlit signs under parameters; staff will prepare draft regulatory edits and provide immediate guidance on one pending Exchange sign application.
The Town of Farmington Planning & Zoning Commission opened a multi‑hour discussion of the town’s sign regulations, focusing on three recurring problems: how to measure building frontage for attached signage; how to treat large, irregular commercial properties such as the Exchange (270 Farmington Ave); and whether the commission should modify a prior prohibition on internally illuminated or halo‑lit signage.
Shannon Rutherford, town planner, summarized the current rule that limits attached signage to one square foot per linear foot of the building wall facing a street or driveway. Commissioners and staff examined several awkward cases: stepped or L‑shaped façades, multi‑tenant buildings and a large mixed‑use complex where the property manager has been enforcing a uniform 3x5 sign for tenants. Garrett (planning staff) and commissioners walked through the Exchange example, noting the building’s multiple entrances and the way older approvals measured building lengths.
Commissioners debated practical fixes: (1) defining the ‘front of building’ more precisely, perhaps allowing small architectural offsets without penalizing tenants; (2) breaking very long façades into tenant frontages for signage allocation when multiple tenants occupy a building; and (3) adding a practical cap or other guardrails to avoid excessively large single‑tenant signs on very long walls.
The commission also discussed directional and monument signs and said staff should clarify how to treat a pending Exchange application; staff indicated they will provide immediate guidance so the tenant can open. Finally, commissioners reviewed the regulation change that in recent years prohibited halo/backlit signs and signaled willingness to allow some backlit signs with parameters—white light only, limits on color temperature (e.g., up to 4,000K), dimmers and exclusions in historic/village center zones. Rutherford said she will draft regulation language and bring proposed edits for public hearing; the halo‑lit rule will be a priority to resolve quickly because it affects existing inquiries.
Why it matters: signage rules affect downtown and commercial corridors’ character, businesses’ ability to brand, and pedestrian/driver legibility. Commissioners emphasized clarity for applicants and predictable rules to reduce discretionary exceptions.
What’s next: staff will draft regulation edits on (a) measuring attached signs, (b) guidance for directional/monument signs, and (c) a parameterized approach to halo/backlit signs. Staff also will provide expedited guidance for the immediate Exchange sign application so the tenant can proceed to opening.
