Sussex moving forward on signs

Here is the goal: a beautiful Sussex County with a balance between residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial uses, and properly functioning infrastructure. The ideal is a place where entrepreneurs can thrive while helping to maintain that balance, creating jobs for all segments of our population, offering recreation and activities to keep us out of boredom and trouble, and to do it all in an environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion.

That's what the comprehensive land use plan process is all about.

In the meantime, Sussex County Council continues to make decisions in an attempt to make Sussex a better place now and in the future. Members took an important step forward recently when they updated the sign ordinance so that every bit of commercial property throughout the county isn't overrun with all manner of signs.

Some of the changes raise concerns going forward about the evolving landscape of electronic signs and permitted animation - think Las Vegas. Still, at least two of the changes are significant and should begin paying aesthetic and commercial dividends immediately. One increases required distance between off-premise billboards from 300 feet to 600 feet.

That still allows a ton of new billboards in commercial zones but at least they won't be on top of each other as they are now. That will allow more breathing space and improve commercial value because additional space creates less of a jumble of signs. Increased setbacks from roads will also help ease visual congestion.

Also important is eliminating variances for new billboards, although some variances will be allowed for existing billboards and some on-premise signs. The former, wide-open variance process allowed sign companies to seek, and most often receive, relaxed restrictions on sizes and locations, taking all teeth out of existing laws.

Next the county has to deal with the so-called illegal bandit signs that spring up on weekends, and flag and feather signs posted willy nilly. That should be an easier process, but in the meantime, those problems can be addressed, immediately: strict enforcement paid for with fines.

Strict enforcement needs to begin now. With that, we will see immediate improvement in our landscape.