To the Editor,
I am writing to express concern, frustration, and offer suggestions in regards to an issue that is near and dear to my heart – visibility of businesses in Wilton. I have a small boutique, Blue Star Bazaar, which is located on Danbury Road. This past week, I was issued a warning for the sandwich board sign that identifies my business to passerby. If the sign is not removed, I will be fined $100 a day for each day the sign remains.
I was already aware of the town ordinance about temporary signs before I received the warning. In Wilton, temporary signs of up to six sq. ft. are allowed – with a permit and approval of the landowner – for up to two weeks at a time, no more than three times per year, and with at least 30 days between each event. This is six weeks or 11-percent of the year.
The temporary permit on my sign had expired so I was in violation of the ordinance. Why did I take the risk of receiving a $100 fine? Because when the sign is in place, my sales are double to triple the average volume of when the sign is removed. This is the difference between a business surviving and failing. It is the difference between occupied spaces in town and vacant ones.
You may have noticed that there are many vacancy signs around town. An interesting note about the ordinance for temporary signs: it does not apply to landlords or commercial brokers that wish to fill an empty office or retail space. They do not need to adhere to the same permit process, time restrictions, or size limitations that other businesses do. As a town, we have decided to promote to anyone passing through our community just how many empty storefronts we have. However, as soon as a business signs a lease and occupies the space, it does not receive the same signage privileges as landlords and brokers.
Property owners are the ones responsible for putting permanent roadside signage in place. Tenants cannot erect permanent roadside signs or approach Planning and Zoning for changes to roadside signage. This is up to the landowner.
My landlord, Wilton Historical Society, is in the process of putting new signs in place. The design process has taken several years. The approval process with Planning and Zoning took several months. The implementation time period is yet to be determined. As an individual tenant, I can voice my preferences to my landlord, but I am not a decision maker and am not permitted to weigh in on the issue when presented at a Planning and Zoning meeting. If the permanent roadside signage does not meet my needs, I have no recourse.
In terms of building signage, I am allowed two sq. ft. of signage. The building that houses my boutique is approximately 100 ft. from the road and partially obstructed by another building. There is not much I can do to make people see a two-foot sign. If I would like that restriction changed, again, I must ask my landlord to petition Planning and Zoning to change the restriction. This is not an efficient solution when a couple months of bad sales can force a business to close.
Wilton has approximately 6,000 households. I spend thousands of dollars annually to let people in town know about my business. I am a resident myself. I support local philanthropies and am involved in the community. There are thousands more people that pass through our town each day on Rte. 7. These people drive right past my business and without a visible sign, they don’t even know I’m here.
I urge our first selectman and the Planning and Zoning committee to consider the following:
(1) Create one set of rules for all businesses in Wilton. Landlords, brokers, and tenants should all follow the same rules on permits, size restrictions, and time restrictions in regards to temporary signs.
(2) Create a temporary sign option to allow attractive temporary signs to identify businesses. Perhaps this includes restrictions on materials (no disposable lawn signs), design aesthetics (parameters regarding use of neon colors or graphics), rules regarding maintenance (damaged or dirty signs should be removed), times for display (put signs out during business hours only and remove during snowfall).
(3) Require permits and charge a fee. I would propose that signs are allowed during all open business hours (weather and safety permitting). Providing permits in six-month increments would prevent signs from becoming dilapidated. A $100 fee per six-month period could also help build a fund to assist with town landscaping and identification to make Wilton as a whole more attractive as a shopping and dining destination.
I have spent almost 20 of my 42 years living in Wilton. I was thrilled to open my storefront here. I want to preserve the character and charm of this town but feel that some of the regulations put in place to keep national chains away have hurt small businesses more than they have helped. I hope Blue Star Bazaar will survive.
Sincerely,
Megan Abrahamsen