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SYRACUSE - Signs can give direction to a wedding reception, family reunion, garage sale or community fund-raiser.
But the Syracuse Town Council passed an ordinance Tuesday in which a person can be fined $25 for placing any sign in any public right of way within the town limits. Each day a violation of the ordinance occurs, it's a separate offense.
Thursday, the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals discussed the ordinance and how it may be too restrictive.
Town councilman Larry Siegel, who also is a member of the Syracuse BZA, brought the matter up to the other board members. Along with the town's fine, he said the county ordinances read like the county could fine the sign owner. There are no exceptions to the new town ordinance, which could hurt local community fund-raisers.
Mike Brower, BZA chairman, said the county ordinances only tell businesses how big they can make their signs and where they can put them. At the county level, only a judge can assess a fine, he said. The town's police force can enforce Syracuse's ordinance.
"It's immediately and locally enforceable," said Brower.
Siegel said the town's ordinance has no due process built into it. He said the town seems to be duplicating the county's ordinances and regulating state property.
"I guess I'm trying to figure out why we're trying to regulate what's already regulated," Siegel said.
Brower said there are too many signs that stay up too long. It makes the town look cluttered and he's not for that.
Service organizations in the community, said Siegel, depend on traffic from Ind. 13. Temporary signs advertising such things as car washes for cheerleaders or chicken barbecues for the youth center help with that. When the council voted to approve it Tuesday, Siegel said he abstained from voting on the ordinance because "I didn't feel the discussion was complete."
Voting in favor of the ordinance Tuesday were councilmen Bill Hane, Carol Koble and Barbara Carwile. Opposed was councilman Paul Stoelting.
Jon Brookmyer, BZA, said there are three aspects affected by the ordinance - commercial, private and not-for-profit. He said he could see the need for exemptions to be made for service organizations.
Siegel said he could see allowing exemptions for such events as wedding receptions. "I see those in every town and I don't see a problem with it."
The Syracuse BZA agreed the ordinance is probably overly restrictive.
Brower said there are ways to reduce clutter by incorporating sign setback rules into the town's ordinances. Siegel said the council's discussion Tuesday was that signs could not be on the road right of way at all and that would put them too far back for anyone to see.
Brookmyer said he is in favor of the ordinance being amended if possible because, as it is now, it is "too restrictive and limiting."
Brower said there has to be some way to allow for temporary signs for such events as Kiwanis fund-raisers.
"People have personally remonstrated to me" about the new sign ordinance, Siegel said. He said he doesn't like clutter either but if the town is going to have an ordinance, it needs to be one that best serves the people.
He said, "I need to have some ideas because I don't think this is over yet."
"I hope not," Brookmyer said. "I hope not."
In other matters, the Syracuse BZA:
• Approved unanimously a petition by the Syracuse Church of the Brethren for a variance to permit the construction of an enclosed handicap access zero feet from the west road right of way. The property is on the northeast side of Mill Street and zero feet northwest of Main Street at 304 W. Main St.
• Reported that several sheds in the Morgan Meadows subdivision will be cited for being in violation because they don't meet setback requirements.
Members of Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals are Mike Brower, Jon Brookmyer, Steve Sharp, Larry Siegel and Gus Duehmig. They meet at 7 p.m. the third Thursday of every month in the town hall.
