Approved: No Signs in Landscaped Islands

A change to the town’s temporary sign amendment was unanimously approved by the Town Plan and Zoning Commission Monday night, prohibiting signs from being placed in a specific list of landscaped islands.

The amendment was proposed by the commission to protect the plantings of the Farmington Garden Club and Unionville Village Improvement Association. The issue arose at the conclusion of the Unionville Streetscape Project, Farmington Town Planner Jeffrey Ollendorf explained at the meeting.

“We took notice of the plantings, whether perennial plantings or annual plantings, we were concerned that continuing to allow the placement of signs over time, if not in the short term, would injure those plants and destroy them,” Ollendorf said.

The change was reviewed and revised by the commission several times after considering input from various organizations in town that use temporary signs. The UVIA and Farmington Garden Club sent letters of support of the change.

“We work very hard to keep these spaces maintained,” UVIA President Timothy LeBouthillier told the commission. He noted that crossing to some of the islands was unsafe. “The Garden Club and UVIA take great pride in them. As a safety issue and beautification issue, I urge you to support this amendment.”

Commission Chairman Phil Dunn explained that political signs are not regulated by the town’s zoning regulations but that copies of the new amendment would be distributed to both of the town’s political parties, as well as any independent candidates.

“However, a lot of the islands are controlled by the state DOT and placing those signs without their permission is a violation of their regulations as well,” Ollendorf said.

Specific islands named in the amendment include: on the south side of Main Street and Farmington Avenue in Farmington; the south side of the intersection of Farmington Avenue and South Main Street in Unionville; the island at the corner of Colton Street and Main Street in Farmington; at the intersection of High Street and Mountain Road; at Coppermine Road and West District Road; Coppermine Road and Red Oak Hill Road; Church Street and Main Street; Garden Street and Porter Road; as well as within 50 feet of the Welcome to Farmington Sign at the I-84 exit ramp and Farmington Avenue.