David Adier, owner of Shear Madness salon at 80 Park Ave, saw a reprieve Monday night when the council passed an updated Signs and Signage ordinance. Adier has been in an ongoing battle with the city’s zoning office over his salon’s red feather flag sign. The sign brings in business, but is illegal under a city ordinance passed in 2012.
(For background read the cover story in the Aug. 28 Hoboken Reporter.)
Before the council voted, Adier spoke of the importance of his feather flag sign to make his business visible.
Adier called the conflict with the zoning office a “four-and-a-half-year nightmare.”
He said the sign has been a symbol of hope and perseverance for him after Hurricane Sandy. He said since then, other salons moved to town and impinged on his business.
He said he didn’t understand why his business and sign was a target while other “egregious displays are left unchallenged.”
He said that the council passing this amended ordinance would not only prevent a costly legal battle, but also be an example of checks and balances and a vote for fairness.
The ordinance would allow feather-flagged signs in a limited capacity.
The new ordinance would allow the signs for a business where “exterior signage equal to 10 percent of the storefront is not permitted pursuant to landlord or condominium association prohibition, and the property has no more than two street-facing windows, not inclusive of doorway or transom, with total display area totaling less than ten square feet.”
Business may only have one feather flag sign that is to be displayed only during operational hours. The law places height and width constraints and the sign can’t impede passageways.
Councilman James Doyle said he could not support the amendment because it would retroactively protect those who chose to violate the law. He said that the solution would have been not to sign a lease in a building that doesn’t allow for signage.
Councilman Michael DeFusco said he doesn’t think that not signing the lease is a fair argument, as feather flag signs were allowed prior to the ordinance change in 2012. He said he believes the sign hasn’t interfered with the community but the ordinance could help a small business.
Council President Jennifer Giattino said she would vote against feather flag signs because she doesn’t think it’s the council’s place to override rules made by the building’s condo association.
Fisher, Mello, Russo, DeFusco, and Ramos all voted to pass the amended ordinance while Cunningham, Doyle, Giattino, and Bhalla voted against it.
Public Safety
Lenore Ames, a traffic control officer for the city who directs traffic at 15th and Garden streets, urged the council to put in an amber light at the intersection where she works.
“I wish the council would get involved in getting bikes off the sidewalks.” –Melissa Blanco
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She explained that there is a school near that intersection, and parents, children, cyclists, and cars are all competing with each other to cross the intersection safely.
Chris Adair urged the council to create protected bicycle lanes. She said the city needs more routes north and south and routes in the center of town. She said she believes the streets aren’t too narrow to achieve this.
Melissa Blanco said as a pedestrian, she has had safety concerns regarding bicyclists on the sidewalk.
“I wish the council would get involved in getting bikes off the sidewalks,” said Blanco.
She also said that many bikers assume they have the right of way and if you don’t move, they “curse me and scream at the top of their lungs.”
She remembered a particular incident in which a man in his 40s or 50s said “F your mother.” She said the pushing and intimidation is horrible, and she finds it difficult to write a check for taxes “when I can’t walk on my sidewalk safely.”
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.