Frenchtown planning board forwards updated sign and design ordinance to council after lighting and animated‑sign debate

The Frenchtown Planning Board voted Jan. 6 to send a revised design and sign ordinance to borough council for introduction and adoption, concluding months of committee work to modernize local sign standards.

The updated draft clarifies which zones are covered by Village Center rules (references to R‑4A and R‑4B), adds technical lighting standards (lumens plus a maximum of 3,000 Kelvin to curb harsh blue-white LEDs), and brings permanent window signs under the zoning officer’s administrative review instead of the planning board. The draft requires a minimum 3‑foot pedestrian clearance for sandwich boards, permits standalone restaurant menu boxes with size/security limitations, and removes obsolete references (for example, an old golf-course use no longer present in town).

Board members spent significant time on lighting metrics and nuisance controls. One member recommended using lux (illuminance at a surface) in addition to lumens; another emphasized restricting Kelvin to avoid eye‑piercing cool white light. The board also agreed to explicitly prohibit animated or moving signs that create visible motion, smoke or flashing/strobing effects, and to treat most inflatable advertising devices as prohibited or restricted.

Members noted enforcement will primarily be complaint‑driven through the zoning officer, although tighter language will strengthen future enforcement options. The board authorized the board secretary to forward the ordinance to council for the formal master‑plan consistency and adoption process.