Village threatens removal of signs – Buffalo News

LEWISTON — Village businesses were warned Monday that advertising signs on public rights-of-way in front of their establishments will be confiscated and destroyed if they don’t apply for sign permits within 48 hours.

Zoning Officer William Brodie told members of the Village Board that several businesses have placed temporary signs on sidewalks or other village property, especially along heavily traveled Center Street, creating hazards for pedestrians and sometimes for motorists.

He said the portable signs sometimes appear and then disappear before any enforcement action can be taken.

Village officials said some businesses have permits for the signs, or are in the process of getting permits.

“I’m going to tell the ones that don’t have permits that they need to apply for them within 48 hours, or I’m going to throw the signs into the back of a village truck and send them to the dump,” Brodie said.

His determination to enforce the village’s sign ordinance drew general approval from Mayor Terry C. Collesano and the three trustees who attended the meeting, but they took no official action. Trustee Bruce Sutherland was absent from the meeting, and the mayor said he had been excused.

In other business, the board:

• Gave the Lewiston Kiwanis Club permission to use Center Street at Ninth Street for its annual Block of Dollars fund-raising effort on Aug. 11.

• Renewed a special use permit to allow Chases Dog Wash to continue in operation at 280 Portage Road, with the understanding that the owners would clean up the area outside the building.

• Discussed efforts to provide more parking spaces along Portage Road and along Water Street to accommodate this summer’s seasonal increase in traffic.

• Heard a report that the mild weather and removal of the Niagara River ice boom had enabled the Public Works Department to begin reinstalling boat docks and catwalks along the waterfront.

• Announced that the village’s website would be out of service for about a week for technical repairs.

• Scheduled the annual Earth Day cleanup program to begin at 9 a.m. on April 21.

• Learned that Village Board members will be among the community leaders and volunteers to be honored during a program at 11 a.m. May 6 in First Presbyterian Church, 505 Cayuga St.

• Heard a report from the mayor that state-mandated local services coupled with a 2 percent cap on property tax increases were “putting a strain on local government budgets.”