Carpentersville, W. Dundee adjust sign regulations for businesses

Over the years neither West Dundee nor Carpentersville has been viewed as particularly business-friendly when it comes to signs. Both villages, recognizing this reputation, are trying to change that.

The West Dundee village board recently passed a wholesale revision of its sign ordinance, making significant changes to how businesses are allowed to advertise.

Though some of these changes have been in the works for almost a decade, the economic environment has prompted action sooner rather than later.

“(The changes) try to take into consideration the need for additional visibility and the desire for increased advertising in these difficult economic times,” Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said.

Some of those changes include specifying regulations based on location — the village has recognized it shouldn't restrict all businesses as it does those in the historic downtown area — as well as reducing restrictions on window signs, types of signs, and the review process for getting them.

Electronic signs will now be allowed outside of the downtown area, where they never were before. And appeals or variance requests for special consideration will now cost $25 instead of up to $275.

West Dundee Trustee Norm Osth has been working on changing the sign ordinance for 10 years. He said it has been an excellent process and is glad the back and forth came to a successful conclusion.

“The goal was to have it passed before the first of the year and we achieved our goal,” Osth said.

In Carpentersville, the revision process has barely started. The village board passed a series of small changes in July but plans to continue modifying throughout the winter.

The Business Development Commission formed in February 2010 with an aim to be receptive to the desires of the business community. Village President Ed Ritter said the need to adjust the sign ordinance was one of the early discoveries by the committee.

Specifically, the village is hoping to give businesses set back from the road a way to advertise to passers-by.

“Ordinances are there to protect the aesthetics of the village,” Ritter said. “We have to look now and see what's the right balance between aesthetics and economics.”

Over the summer, businesses were allowed to use sandwich board signs on sidewalks for the first time and the limit for 30-day promotional banner signs was increased from two to three per year.

Kay Teeter is the chair of the Business Development Commission. She said the village started with minor changes that could be implemented quickly but will continue to work on the ordinance, and hopefully change its reputation with the business community.

“We have not always been considered business-friendly and business development is going to be a key factor in our financial situation in the village,” Teeter said.

Unlike West Dundee, Carpentersville does not plan to spend a decade going through every piece of the ordinance for a comprehensive change.

Ritter said he hopes the board will be able to take action as staff targets specific pieces to change.

“If something is completed we don't want to wait for four other things,” Ritter said. “Our goal is to continue to pass small pieces every so often.”