Sign break continues for Gurnee businesses

Gurnee village board members have agreed to continue allowing local businesses extra time to use certain outdoor promotional signs in the hope it helps boost the bottom line.

Village trustees this week voted in favor of extending through the summer a moratorium on enforcement of a 14-day limit on temporary signs many businesses use to promote specials or sales.

Retailers, restaurants and other businesses that have a frequent need to communicate with potential customers have benefitted from the relaxed rules, Mayor Kristina Kovarik said.

Gurnee began the moratorium on enforcement of the time limit on temporary signs last August. The latest enforcement halt was set to expire April 30 until the new extension was agreed to by the village board this week.

"It's just worked out really well," Kovarik said. "Staff has gotten a lot of (positive) feedback. I've gotten a lot of feedback."

Businesses must gain village approval for the temporary signs and pay a fee. The signs must be on private property.

Kovarik said she still wants the village to find a permanent way to ease restrictions on the temporary sign use by businesses.