LAWRENCE: Council introduces new sign ordinance

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   After months of discussion and review, Township Council introduced a revised “sign ordinance” at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
   The revised ordinance was introduced by a 4-1 vote. Mayor Michael Powers and council members Jim Kownacki, Pam Mount and Greg Puliti voted for it. Councilman Bob Bostock cast the dissenting vote.
   A public hearing on the ordinance will be held at Township Council’s Oct. 26 meeting.
   There was some discussion about the impact of the ordinance on real estate agents who put out “open house” signs when public open houses are held to help advertise and sell a property. Among other provisions, the ordinance did not allow balloons to be placed on the sign, but Township Council reached a compromise to allow one balloon to be placed on the sign.
   Mr. Bostock said he voted against the ordinance on introduction because of the process. He said he “took the liberty” of sending the proposed ordinance to the Mercer County Board of Realtors, which offered some comments.
   Mr. Bostock said the council should have taken advantage of the opportunity to consider comments by the Mercer County Board of Realtors, but “for some reason, the council wanted to jam it through tonight.”