Fayetteville planning board approves sign permit with DOT-survey and finish conditions

The Village of Fayetteville Planning Board on a July 2026 vote approved a sign-permit application for a commercial property, but it required the applicant to confirm the state Department of Transportation (DOT) right-of-way and to meet several conditions before receiving a final certificate of occupancy. Chair said the approval would be contingent on the sign being sited at the greater of 8 feet from the back of the sidewalk or outside any DOT setback, and on the sign not exceeding 60 inches above finished grade.

The board's staff member told members the scanned site plan and the applicant's permit form contained inconsistent dimensions: the site plan scaled by staff showed the sign about 6.5 feet from the back of the sidewalk, while the application listed 8 feet. The code requires a minimum 3-foot setback from the back of the sidewalk, and staff emphasized that the village measures the full sign height to the top of the post or finial. "The sign maximum height is required to be 5 feet within our village," the staff member said.

The applicant (identified in the record as a meeting participant) said he provided the contractor with the approved plans and that the contractor followed those plans; he also said updating a surveyed property line to confirm the DOT setback could cost roughly $1,500 and that he lacked funds to pay that amount at present. "I don't have that kind of funds to... use on $1,500 on the survey," the meeting participant said. Board members urged the applicant to contact DOT for a written confirmation or to provide an updated survey so the board could verify the sign would not occupy DOT right-of-way.

Members also raised concerns about materials. The minutes and prior discussions, committee members said, called for composite decking (TimberTech or an equal) on the handicap ramp and associated decking; the applicant and others acknowledged the visible structure included pressure-treated wood in places. The board agreed to allow a temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) so the business could open, but only if the ramp and decking are brought into compliance and the exterior finish is completed within an agreed timeline. One committee member said a TCO could be issued now with a final certificate of occupancy to follow when the ramp/decking "matches the color of the house or the structure."

The motion approved by the board spelled out the contingencies: the applicant must verify the DOT right-of-way so the sign is not placed within it; the sign location must be at the greater of 8 feet from the back of sidewalk or not within the DOT setback; the total sign height must not exceed 60 inches (5 feet) above grade; and the board would issue only a TCO until the handicap ramp structure and decking match the approved finish and color, at which point the final CO would be issued. The motion was seconded and the board voted in favor.

After the vote, the chair directed the applicant to provide the DOT setback confirmation to the village staff member referenced as Mike so staff could complete the file. The board then approved minutes and adjourned the meeting.