More requests for sidewalk signs

By Frances Ruth Harris
MILFORD — Several Milford business owners and operators are asking the borough council to allow them more leeway in setting up sandwich board signs on sidewalks.

Business owner Cookie Astringer said her sandwich board went missing and that she called the police to report it stolen. She later learned that the code enforcement officer had removed it without ever talking to her first. She retrieved the sign from the borough garage.

Other business owners who came out to the council's March 2 meeting want to put signs on property owned by others, especially along the borough's thoroughfares, in order to attract tourists and other potential customers.

Borough President James Price said property owners have the right to keep their properties unencumbered by signs. Main street owners bought prime sites in order to give their businesses the best possible advantage, he said.

Current ordinance requires that sandwich boards be placed very near the entrance to the business it's advertising. Price said that he and Duane Kuhn, the borough's code enforcement officer, will meet with each business owner individually to resolve problems and misunderstandings. But he said he could see no reason to change the ordinance.

Price said he served on a committee that addressed this issue a few years ago, and that there has since been no change that would prompt a change to the ordinance.

“Economic times are different," said Astringer. "The charm is in the side streets too, with the addition of a business directory.”

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