Commissioner Denise Kaercher said she had not noticed the number of pylon signs along Route 13 until representatives from Walmart pointed it out at the Regional Planning Commission’s public hearing.
“I don’t think we can uglify Route 13 anymore,” Kaercher said, noting that she has been sitting on the commission for eight years and likely approved some of the pylon signs.
The Regional Planning Commission approved on Nov. 12 for WalMart to install two monument-style signs that would be no higher than eight feet above the ground along Route 13 near Cheswold.
Walmart’s representatives had said the store would be too difficult to find without a sign hanging high in the air on a pole. They also expressed concern people would miss the turn for the store, because drivers would not see the signs as easily.
But the commissioners said they wanted to start moving away from pylon signs to make the area more aesthetically pleasing.
“What we’re standing for here now, is what will happen in the future,” said Commissioner Bill Jester, adding that Walmart would likely not object to the lower signs in the future.
The Regional Planning Commission previously had approved the Cheswold Walmart but had required the store return to the commission for approval of its signage plans.
Commissioner Gene Thornton said stores like Walmart get a lot of repeat business and that she did not think it was “a big deal” for the store to have monument-style signs.
Walmart also requested a main sign with the store’s name on the building and a secondary sign on the north side of the building.
The commission recommended the secondary sign be placed on the building but not lit. The Division of Planning Services made this recommendation as a means to maintain an aesthetic façade and prevent additional lighting from having a negative impact on the surrounding area.
Commissioner Paul Davis registered the only vote against the motion to approve this signage recommendation and said the county should be looking out for business in the sluggish economy. He added he found the store’s signage requests to be “fair and reasonable.”
Kent County Levy Court commissioners will consider the signage recommendations at a future business meeting.
In other business…
The Regional Planning Commission approved for the Villages of Noble Pond to begin the second phase of construction by adding 212 lots to the subdivision. Attorney Brandon Jones said the subdivision’s roads would be maintained by a monthly lease fee paid by the homeowners and would not be dedicated state roads.
Davis voted against the proposal, saying this was “unusual” and could present problems for homeowners if the landlord was no longer able to maintain the roads in the future.
