The large Taco Bell sign in Cobleskill will stay.
Following the advice of attorneys, village Zoning Board of Appeals members ruled Thursday that they couldn’t act on a complaint that the sign violated village law.
Resident Nancy Van Deusen filed the complaint in September, claiming that the sign is too big, its letters are too large and the sign is too close to Main Street.
Terresa Bakner, attorney for Taco Bell owner Hospitality Syracuse, responded that Ms. Van Deusen didn’t file her complaint in the 60-day period after Codes Officer Mike Piccolo issued the sign permit and that Ms. Van Deusen doesn’t suffer damage from the sign because she doesn’t own nearby property.
Village Attorney Michelle Storm apparently agreed with Ms. Bakner, so the ZBA didn’t act on the complaint Thursday night.
The non-action didn’t sit well with ZBA member George Konta, who threatened to resign from the board.
The sign is inappropriate and has an arrow directing drivers into an exit driveway, Mr. Konta said.
“What we’re allowing to continue is just wrong,” he said.
Mr. Konta also pointed out that nearby signs, such as Noble Ace Hardware’s, conform to the sign law.
“The only thing we can accuse them of is good taste,” Mr. Konta said of Ace Hardware.
Mr. Piccolo said the Taco Bell sign duplicates the Dairy Deli sign that it replaced, and the new sign conforms to the sign law.
Because he’s Ms. Van Deusen’s husband, ZBA Chair Sandy MacKay recused himself from the Taco Bell discussion, and Sandy Poole directed that portion of the meeting.
Ms. Poole asked whether Hospitality Syracuse offered to do anything about the sign, and Mr. Piccolo said the company is “in communications” about it.
Agreeing with the attorneys, ZBA member Tom Johnstone said the complaint shouldn’t have come to the ZBA.
“I’m still tempted to take this to a higher” level, Mr. Konta said.
As for resigning, Mr. Konta said afterwards he’d follow through.
“In a case like this, I can’t imagine approving a sign in an illegal spot,” he said.
“I don’t belong on the board, and I apologize if I inconvenienced anyone.”