Sign Regulation Review Committee

The Wethersfield Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) at its July 6, 2016 meeting agreed to establish a committee to review the Town's sign regulations in light of the 2015 United States Supreme Court decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Arizona. This decision changed a major part of the legal underpinnings for modern sign regulation. The Committee has been tasked to review the existing regulations and provide recommended revisions. Several members of the Commission and several members from the Design Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) have volunteered to work with Town Staff on this effort.

Background

The Town of Wethersfield first adopted sign regulations in 1926. Over the years, numerous revisions to the regulations have been approved. The most notable changes were made in 1956 when a specific section of the zoning regulations was adopted for the sole purpose of regulating signs. In 1978 the old regulations were repealed and a more detailed set of standards was adopted. In 2004 the regulations were comprehensively revised and the Design Review Advisory Committee was established and charged with the authority to review all sign applications. Since 2004 several minor amendments have been made to the regulations.