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Residents raise questions about political sign wording and urge review of Assateague management
Summary
During public comment, Patricia Farley asked the council to clarify the proposed sign ordinance to specify 'political campaign signs' and Donna Leonard urged the town to ask the Department of the Interior to re-evaluate Assateague Island management, suggesting the National Park Service could better balance public use and habitat management.
Chincoteague — Residents used the council’s public-comment period on Oct. 7 to press for clearer sign rules and to urge municipal action on Assateague Island management.
Patricia Farley (speaker 5) asked the council and ordinance committee to tighten the wording in a proposed sign ordinance, saying the current draft’s use of the term "political signs" risks confusion with signs addressing political causes. "It seems to me that this instead of just political signs, it should say something like political campaign signs," Farley said, and she asked the ordinance to cover all forms of temporary signs — from cardboard to banners and flags — and to specify time limits.
Why it mattered: Farley said clearer definitions reduce the risk of free-speech disputes and ensure the ordinance targets campaign activity rather than broader political expression; staff and councilors noted the item will go to the planning commission and back to council on Oct. 17 for public hearing and possible changes.
In a separate comment, Donna Leonard (speaker 7), drawing on decades of experience on Assateague, criticized the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s management approach and asked the town to request a Department of the Interior evaluation. She contrasted FWS rules on the Virginia side with the more permissive National Park Service rules on the Maryland side and argued the refuge’s habitat changes — including impoundments and wetland restorations — have altered wildlife and visitor experiences. "I would like to see the town, ask the Department of the Interior to evaluate the needs of Assateague Island for today," she said.
Outcome and next steps: Staff confirmed the sign-ordinance text will be reviewed by the planning commission and that the council will hear the ordinance at a public hearing on Oct. 17; council discussion on Assateague management focused on follow-up communications with federal partners rather than a formal action.
The public-comment period also included notices about community cleanup events and requests for a community signboard to post local events.
