By Dru Willis

The Cornelius Planning Board is recommending new rules that could loosen up some of the regulations covering banners and flags for small businesses. Whether it's enough to please local retailers is another matter.

TARTE

The text amendment pertains to Chapter 10 in the Cornelius Land Development Code, which governs signs, and prohibits most banners. The issue has been fraught with controversy because of the number of struggling businesses in Cornelius. A public forum for small business owners conducted by Mayor Jeff Tarte in December resulted in the outright ban on banners being suspended.

The Planning Board proposed allowing banners and flags — except for real estate banners already prohibited in the development code — used in conjunction with commercial buildings, a project or enterprise up to four times a year.

That's up from the two recommended by town staff, but the business community was asking for six. Bill Russell, president of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, said retailers have been hit particularly hard by the disruption caused by the widening of West Catawba Avenue, not to mention the recession.

The ardent enforcement of sign and banner regulations caused considerable anguish among store owners, but the town relented when it was apparent so many stores were in trouble. Explaining that rules were developed without significant input from store owners, Russell said businesses are looking for a way to market themselves to overcome the fact that many of their entries face away from traffic or the businesses themselves are off the beaten path.

BENSMAN

There was another public forum planned discuss banners Jan. 28, after that the sign and banner rules will go before the Cornelius Town Commission, which has final say.  But town commissioners “are not happy with where this is going,” according to commission member Jim Bensman.  “This can result in an extreme amount of clutter and can make our Town look even worse than it does with all of the signs scattered about now,” he said.

“What we are truly trying to do here is accomplish a balance …while also maintaining the quality of our street-scapes,” said Jason Abernethy, senior planner for the Town of Cornelius.

Russell, explaining that he found out just before the planning board meeting that signs and banners would be discussed, said there should be a well-thought-out, long-term sign and banner policy, not a temporary solution. “Businesses need to be able to adequately market themselves,” he explained. “We don't support a banner free-for-all, we want a beautiful community, a balance of quality of life and aesthetics vs. no banners at all.”

RUSSELL

If the town decides to ease the banner rules temporarily and then go back to rigid enforcement when the economy turns for the better, Russell said, “then you will see the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce come back in full force. We're not looking for a Band-Aid approach, we want something that works over the long term.”

Bike path approved

The planning board also unanimously approved sending the Lake Norman Regional Bicycle Plan on to the Board of Commissioners.

The plan provides a means for bicyclists to travel around Lake Norman through Mecklenburg, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln counties.

The path would be 62 miles long, with several spurs pushing the total up to 90.

The path will include parts of Beard, Brinkley, Washam, Church and Cornelius streets as well as U.S. 21, N.C. 115 near the YMCA and Westmoreland Road (which are sections recommended for capital improvements already).