Darien's return to pre-pandemic sign rules means no banners, sandwich boards, flashing neon

DARIEN — Stores, restaurants and other businesses have until Oct. 10 to take down their banners and sandwich boards. After more than two years of loosened sign rules, town officials say it's time for things to return to normal. “I think there is an expectation from the town in general that there be a clean look,” town zoning officer Herve Hamon said. “Signs, if they become too much, they become vulgar. Signage is very important to local businesses, but it has to be controlled positively.” During the pandemic, Darien businesses were allowed additional signs ordinarily prohibited — banners, sandwich boards and other street posts — to show residents that they were still open. Businesses are mostly back to normal hours and operations, officials said. As of Sept. 30, the rules were back in force with a 10-day grace period before the town starts writing citations. While many of the additions need to be removed from storefronts as soon as possible, banners are not completely forbidden. Businesses can still display a temporary banner, provided they have a permit from Planning and Zoning, Hamon said. Sandwich boards, however, are once again banned entirely, and that's fine with Hamon. As a former Americans with Disabilities Act compliance advisor for Dorchester County, Md., Hamon said he has seen sandwich boards block sidewalks, creating an obstacle for wheelchair users that can occasionally force them into the street. “If there are sandwich boards in the road, I consider it a violation of the code and of civil rights,” Hamon said. Illuminated signs, except for non-flashing “open” signs, are again not permitted. "News to me," WinePort of Darien manager Bob Macduff said. Neon beer signs and a sandwich board were part of the WinePort storefront before the pandemic, Macduff said, helping new visitors find the store while navigating the Goodwives Shopping Center parking lot. He said no one had ever commented on the signs before the pandemic. "I would understand if it was town sidewalks," he said. "I'm stuck here in the shopping center, who knows." Nancy Portman, an employee at boutique Whim on Post Road, said the chalk sandwich board by the door in front of the business may have helped when the store first opened in April 2021. Now that it has been more than a year, she said taking it off the sidewalk likely won't affect business. "I think the store is sort of established," she said. "People know to come here." Temporary window signs are another frequent violation along Post Road that, while not included in pandemic exemptions, were likely relaxed in part because it is difficult to enforce and would require constant eyes on the business, according to Hamon. Under the town’s zoning regulations, window signs can only be displayed for 30 days and cannot take up more than 25 percent of window space. Any business found non-compliant will receive a citation, but not a financial penalty. “It’s a way to value the honor system,” Hamon said. “People are respecting.” Harmon said, however, he may recommend financial penalties to other town officials if enough businesses refuse to comply.

Recommended