During the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, some of Stafford's citizens expressed concern that they had difficulty getting important information from the town because they did not use the internet. The solution to that problem was to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to buy electronic signage to help the town disseminate information. There was just one problem: zoning regulations prohibit electronic signage.
After many months of discussion, the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) addressed the issue at their September 21, 2023, meeting. The commission voted to change the regulations to allow for signs used for municipal purposes. A special use permit is still needed and requires a public hearing. There are also size limits, and the signs must be dimmable.
There has been no formal application to the PZC for the town's three signs because there was no mechanism to do so while they were strictly prohibited. However, the informally proposed locations for the signs are the West Stafford Fire Department, the Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Senior Center. In the past, these sites have been used for portable, temporary electronic signage, though the DPW is in a historic overlay district. Once there is a formal proposal before the PZC, it will go through the special use permit process, and people will have a chance to weigh in on these locations before the digital signage is placed.
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