Ban on large sandwich boards proposed in Patchogue

The Patchogue Village board of trustees will revisit banning large sandwich boards from downtown eateries next month after voting to extend public comment on the issue.

Village officials say some downtown restaurants attempt to draw customers by placing large signs on public sidewalks and along streets, making it difficult for residents to walk and park vehicles.

“This has been a long time coming,” trustee Lori Devlin, who spearheaded a committee to combat the problem, said at last week’s village board meeting. “It’s just that everywhere you turn, you’re bumping into sandwich boards. We need to be more stringent on how we define [them].”

The board held a public hearing at last week’s meeting to amend village code 435, which regulates the use of sandwich signs. But it unanimously voted to keep the public comment period open and possibly vote on the matter Feb. 10.

Sandwich signs would be no more than 2 feet wide and 3 1/2 feet high if the code is amended. They would also have to be tethered to a restaurant and be no more than six inches away from the establishment.

David Kennedy, executive director of the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce, said Tuesday that he supports the idea but wants more specifics, such as whether a business can use more than one sign.

One village resident who represented her church at the meeting said, “We’re not putting out sign boards to sell anything, but occasionally to inform people of funerals or about wedding parking. When considering this ordinance, please keep those special [instances] in mind,” she said.