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Planning commission discusses major rewrite of town sign bylaw; proposes clearer wording
Summary
The Stamford Planning Commission presented a draft rewrite of the town's sign-related bylaws, proposing to move a standalone "signed bylaw" into a distinct section, replace ambiguous wording ("permitted") with clearer language ("allowed" where no permit is required), and reconcile municipal sign size limits with state Title 10 (64 sq ft municipal maximum vs. typical 12—16 sq ft for other uses).
Commission members presented a draft rewrite of the town's sign regulations intended to simplify ambiguous language and align local rules with state law. "We decided to make the signed bylaw its own standalone," Presenter (S3) said, explaining the draft follows the town's existing format while moving the sign rules to a clearer location in the bylaws.
Members debated specific word choices aimed at reducing enforcement confusion. "We dominated the word permitted as opposed to permitted because that's really confusing," Presenter (S3) said, recommending replacing uses of "permitted" where no permit is required with the word "allowed." The discussion included numeric examples: state Title 10 allows a municipal sign allotment up to 64 square feet, while general private uses had been handled at 12—16 square feet in local practice. "The 64 again, that's just what the state says, and we're basing it just on the state," Presenter (S3) said, noting the commission could set a smaller municipal standard if it wishes.
The commission also noted several existing signs already exceed local private-use limits (a church sign measured ~18 sq ft; a commercial sign ~15 sq ft), which members raised as part of the case for clarifying and updating the code. The group agreed to continue refining the language and bring a typed draft back for a follow-up meeting and public notice.
