Woodbury Continues Hearing on Sign Regulations

To what degree should signs be regulated? That's the question on residents' minds as zoning regulations are up for revision.

Free speech and Woodbury's character were discussed often at the Tuesday, Nov. 13, Zoning Commission meeting at the Senior Community Center. The public hearing on zoning regulation revisions was continued until the 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, meeting.

Bill Monti expressed concerns about compromising the town's character if the language regulating political signs is removed completely from the zoning regulations.

He said he hopes the regulations contain language limiting the size of signs. A maximum signage of 12 square feet is sufficient, Monti said.

"Repeal is just a bad idea that weaves a tangled web," he said.

Tom Arras does not support limiting signage in town. He said once rights are taken away, they don't easily return.

"There was a little Austrian gentleman who did this in the '30s," he said. "It did not work out very well for the rest of the world."

First Selectman Gerald "Jerry" Stomski weighed in too, but not in favor or against regulating political signs or any other zoning revisions. The Zoning Commission could face challenges based on its decision, he said.

"The reason why I'm standing here is because no matter what you decide here, we may take [on] some kind of legal challenge," he said, and reminded commissioners to do their due diligence, as it's taxpayer dollars that pay for legal counsel.

'Do the Right Thing'

Stomski also noted that a degree of self-governance is helpful.

"If we could learn to govern ourselves and do the right thing, we wouldn't have government telling us what to do."