Nancy Van Deusen is among those who think the new Taco Bell sign is inappropriate on Cobleskill’s East Main Street.
And to that end, she’s filed a complaint of codes violation with village officials.
Taco Bell opened the new restaurant in August at the site of the former Dairy Deli.
Code Enforcement Officer Mike Piccolo in August stopped Taco Bell from putting up a large sign. But according to Ms. Van Deusen, he contends that the new sign––also large––is okay.
Neither Mr. Piccolo nor Brian Robson, another village codes officer, returned phone calls for this story.
Ms. Van Deusen said that according to the village sign law, the Taco Bell sign is too large and the letters are too large, also.
Also, the sign is closer than the allowable 10 feet from the curb.
Ms. Van Deusen said she brought these and other concerns to Mr. Piccolo, who told her that the sign was the same as the Dairy Deli sign that was there before, she said.
“He kept saying, ‘it’s the same sign, it’s the same sign,’” Ms. Van Deusen said.
“It’s not the same sign. The Dairy Deli sign is at the Fairgrounds,” where it was taken to the Historic Treasures building.
“How can it be the same sign? Everything about it is different.”
She also pointed out that Noble Ace Hardware, across East Main, has a much smaller sign that conforms to the sign law.
“How is that fair?” Ms. Van Deusen asked.
She said people have approached her to complain about the sign, but Ms. Van Deusen said Mr. Piccolo said people have come up to him and “say they love that sign.”
By filing her complaint, Ms. Van Deusen is requesting an interpretation from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The ZBA, however, doesn’t hold regular meetings, and only meets when called by a codes officer.
“It’s in his court, as far as I know,” Ms. Van Deusen said of Mr. Piccolo.