Amendment to Section 7.08 of the Town's Zoning By-Law - Signs, Illumination, & Regulated Facade Alterations - to authorize administrative approval of certain signs and awnings

Annual Town Meeting, May 2017

The Planning Board has determined that some Design Review applications for new and replacement signs and awnings may be more appropriately handled at a staff level. The Board currently reviews all Design Review applications for signs and awnings, including applications to reface/replace existing signs and awnings. The final design of such applications often does not change as a result of the Planning Board's review; however, they are subject to the same review process as more substantial proposals. With the support of the Planning Board, the Planning and Community Development Department is proposing to amend Section 7.08 Design Review Procedures of the Zoning By-Law to allow the Assistant Director for Regulatory Planning or designee to administratively approve some Design Review applications following guidelines adopted by the Planning Board. If adopted by Town Meeting, the amendment would streamline the review process for straightforward Design Review applications that include inkind replacement and/or substantially similar replacement of the existing signs and awnings, as well as applications that are deemed by the Assistant Director for Regulatory Planning or designee to be appropriate for the site and neighborhood. The change would also reduce the number of morning meetings currently held by the Planning Board to review Design Review applications.