The Bethlehem Town Board unanimously voted Wednesday, Oct. 8, to amend the language to the town’s zoning law and subdivision regulations, and made some key changes and amendments to amateur radio communication tower regulations.
Also included in the vote was the prohibition of all temporary advertising banners in town.
As part of the town’s comprehensive plan, it is now standard procedure to revisit the code every few years. This is the first time the code has been revisited since the town adopted its comprehensive plan in August 2005, according to Supervisor Jack Cunningham.
Cunningham said he has received no written or verbal comments on the matter during the September public hearing on the proposed changes.
Democratic Councilman Mark Hennessey said he, too, has received no feedback over the matter.
I have not heard anything, pro or con, on this, Hennessey said. `I think it is one of the many changes that will have positive effects on the community.`
The adopted code amendment for banners reads, `temporary advertising banners shall be prohibited.`
Assistant director of economic development and planning, Michael Morelli, said that temporary advertising banners are already illegal under the town code and that the change is only `clarifying the language of the code.`
Morelli said sandwich signs, window signs and signs giving notice of special events, such as conventions, will still be allowed under the code, as well as several other exemptions.
Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce President Marty DeLaney said the Chamber was working with the town to educate business owners and residents of the changes.
`We’re trying to get the word to businesses, alongside with town government to educate people how this will affect them,` DeLaney said. `That’s the role of the Chamber, to educate people.`
Bethlehem’s Republican Chairwoman Melody Burns, who is also an active businesswoman the town, said she was aware of the updated code.
`From what I understand you can have a temporary sign, but it has to be ‘dated,’ meaning it can’t be there forever but for a specific event,` Burns said. `I understand it to be like open house, special event, coming soon, opening soon, etc.`
She said the updated law doesn’t look prohibitive, but that during tough economic times, the town needs to be as accommodating as possible to new businesses.
`Bethlehem has not been a hotbed for new business — look at Delaware Avenue for example. Big box stores don’t have to worry as much as small businesses when it comes to signage. They can afford to have the most brilliant, state-of-the-art signage,` Burns said. `Often small businesses struggle to find a sign that fits the regulation and also makes enough of a statement to get people to want to walk inside. We should be doing everything we can as a town to help the small business do business in Bethlehem.`
There were four zoning changes also adopted by the town, including:
Changing North River Road, between Halter Lane and Anders Lane, from Heavy Industrial District to Rural Light Industrial District; changing the southwest corner of Bender land and Route 9W from General Commercial District to Commercial Hamlet District; changing the lots on the west side of River Road north of the intersection with Clapper Road from Mixed Economic Development District to Rural District; and changing lots southwest of the intersection of River Road and Wemple Road from Mixed Economic Development District to Rural Light Industrial District.
The town also approved some changes in the application process for amateur radio towers, which Cunningham described as `the last line emergency communication` for the town.
Democratic Councilman Kyle Kotary said the update is part of the evolution of the town’s comprehensive plan.
`This is part of our ongoing process of evaluating and assessing certain zoning laws and procedures that both meet the specifics and spirit of the town’s comprehensive plan and are reasonable and feasible in terms of enforcement,` he said.
For a full list of the zoning changes adopted by the town board, look at the economic development and panning building division page on the town’s Web site, www.townofbethlehem.org.“