Eighty percent of the Village of Cobleskill's businesses could be in violation of a 10-year-old sign law when its grace period expires on February 20, 2017.
The 2007 sign law will be the subject of an informational meeting Tuesday, April 12, 7pm, at the Cobleskill Firehouse.
The following Tuesday, the 19th, there will be a public hearing on proposed changes that would relax restrictions on things like internal lighting and height, also at 7pm at the firehouse.
February 20, 2017 might seem like a long time away, said Code Enforcement Officer Mike Piccolo, but that's what businesses thought when the sign law was first written and again about five years ago when he made the rounds to remind them about what was coming.
Mayor Linda Holmes and trustees proposed changes to the 2007 law after Larry Dembrun, manager of The Inn at Cobleskill, formerly Best Western, argued in December that complying would be cost-prohibitive.
Just updating the logo on his sign, Mr. Dembrun said, would cost him as much as $37,000.
The village allowed Mr. Dembrum to change the logo and agreed to take six months to look at the sign law.
Under the proposed changes, written by Village Attorney Shawn Smith with help from Mr. Piccolo, all existing non-conforming signs would be grandfathered in-allowed as is-but new signs would have to comply with the 2007 law.
"There are dozens and dozens and dozens of businesses with signs that don't comply," Mr. Piccolo said. "I'd guess it's 80 percent of the village. Then add in those with variances-there's probably 45 or 50 of those-and there's not much that's not impacted by this."
The possibility that other businesses would get a break when he did not angers Noble Ace Hardware owner Andrew Noble, who downsized his sign at the former Selkirk's Hardware in 2008 after the Zoning Board of Appeals refused to grant him a variance.
"What about the business that already conformed being given the same consideration as those that procrastinated?" he asked Mayor Holmes and trustees at their March 15 meeting.
Among the businesses that would be in violation of the sign law if it's not changed, Mr. Piccolo said, are: Price Chopper, the Cobleskill Fire Department, Great Wall, Little Italy, Label Shopper, Tractor Supply, Dunkin Donuts, Super 8, Burger King, Advanced Auto, Pizza Hut, Laundry Basket, Dairy Deli, Erie Insurance, Cobleskill Diner, Game Stop, Bank of Richmondville, Shoe Depot, McDonald's at Wal-Mart, Trustco Bank, Suburban, McCarthy Tire, Sunoco, and Mobil Mart.
If the village adopts the proposed changes, businesses that don't meet the 2007 requirements wouldn't have to change their signs unless the business changes, say, from a hardware store to a dry cleaner, Mr. Piccolo said.
Businesses could change the "faceplate" of their sign, but a new logo would be considered a new sign.
Any businesses with signs that violate the sign law after February 20, 2017, will be issued an order to remedy.
Mr. Piccolo has been revisiting businesses to alert them to April 12 and 19 meetings.