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Planning Board Recommends Against Aldermen’s Proposal to Allow Video Display Signs on Main Street
Summary
The Nashua Planning Board voted to provide an unfavorable recommendation on O‑26‑022, an ordinance that would create an overlay allowing video display wall signs on Main Street; the board said case‑by‑case review is preferable and raised aesthetic and driver‑distraction concerns.
The Nashua Planning Board on Aug. 6 recommended that the Board of Aldermen not adopt O‑26‑022, a proposal to establish a video display signs overlay for properties fronting Main Street. Staff described the overlay as permitting wall signs up to 100 square feet or a frontage‑relative maximum, but allowing video displays (moving images) without audio and adding dimensional standards.
Board members said the ordinance would amount to blanket permission for moving images along a key downtown corridor, and they preferred retaining a case‑by‑case variance or administrative review process. “It is those buildings fronting on Main Street between the river and East and West Hollis Streets,” staff said, describing the district, while several board members said they were uncomfortable granting blanket approval across the entire Main Street frontage.
Member Varley moved — and later amended his motion — to provide an unfavorable recommendation, adding that the planning board does not believe a blanket overlay is the best method and that the matter should remain subject to case‑by‑case review through the zoning/variance process. The motion passed with one abstention. The board also suggested language the Aldermen could use to explain their opposition in the record.
