By: centraljersey.com
MONROE – The PNC bank at the Applegarth Center may build two more facade signs on the north and west sides facing the shopping center, but residents of the Clearbrook adult community believe the new back-lit signs would shine into their community at night.
The new signs would increase the visibility of the bank from the shopping center and would not face Applegarth Road, the road the Clearbrook community is on.
"We’re dealing with a massive piece of commercial property," said John McDonough, licensed professional planner for John McDonough Associates and planning consultant for the PNC bank, speaking of the practicality of more signage for the bank, due to its location.
He added, "The signs will benefit the shopping center as a whole and the community."
Mr. McDonough said the signs would benefit the community because, at present, from many angles, the bank doesn’t even look like a bank.
It’s an attractive, residential-looking building from the street, he said.
"What you see from the Applegarth side will not change," he said.
The new signs would be 19.2 feet wide, and the township ordinance regarding signs allows for up to 32.5 feet.
Mr. McDonough said he thinks the sign ordinance is sound and wasn’t looking to be exempt from it.
"This is a building that has its back to the shopping center," Mr. McDonough said.
Roberta Yates, from Clearbrook, said her neighbors don’t want any more lights shining into their houses.
"The neon sign now in existence is enough to show where the bank is," she said.
Mr. McDonough said the new lights would be back-lit, not neon.
Melvin Bonvy, a member of the board of directors for Clearbrook, also objected to more signs on the bank.
"We expect there will be additional sign requests in the open lots," he said.
He said the entire site plan for the Applegarth Professional Center has gotten out of hand, and he said the plans are far from the original plans for the site.
"It was supposed to be a professional center," he said.
Mark Klein, a member of the zoning board, reminded Clearbrook residents the signs would be facing the shopping center, not Clearbrook.

