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ovember’s Town Board Meeting was held one hour later than usual; it was also election night for the Town’s Commissioners. The meeting was brief. A public hearing was canceled, a part-time resident was thanked, and lost chair will soon be returned.

Sign Ordinance Public Hearing Canceled

The Town Commissioners and the Planning Board took up the issue of temporary signs on town property. The original issue stemmed from a temporary sign placed outside Town Hall that showed an oil platform encircled by a ‘no’ symbol and the words ‘Don’t Drill NC’.

The Town Board suggested banning all temporary signs on Town Property as a 2015 Supreme Court decision (Reed v. Town of Gilbert) determined municipalities could regulate the placement of signs, not the content. The question was sent back to the Planning Board for further research.

If banning all temporary signs, the Planning Board said, the Town would also have to ban event signs (the banners over Broad Street), directional signs (such as to events and parking), and advertising and political signs. A full ban would have several unintended consequences for town functions.

Commissioners canceled the public hearing until the Planning Board can do more research into the matter. Meeting minutes from the Quarterly Agenda and the Planning Board, containing discussions about the ordinance, are in the links below.

Manger’s Report

• On behalf of the Town of Oriental, Town Manager Diane Miller thanked part-time resident Jim Kellenberger and his employer, JM Teague Engineering and Planning, for Kellenberger’s expertise and assistance in re-engineering South Ave after it was destroyed by Hurricane Florence.
• FEMA has sent a plaque to the Town of Oriental commending the town for its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System. As a result of the town’s participation, residents will see a 5% reduction in their flood insurance premiums.
• The fire insurance classification rating for the Oriental Fire District has been upgraded to 5 from 6. This new rating can result in lower insurance rates in the fire district.
• Several chairs in Lou Mac park were thrown into the Neuse River last month. All but one were recovered. Before Tuesday’s Town Board meeting, Town Hall received a call saying the last chair had washed ashore in Adam’s Creek. The property owner is bringing the chair to Town Hall.

Award letters are included in the Manager’s Report link below.

Dates to Know

The next Town Board Meeting will be Tuesday, December 3 at 7p.

Related Information

• November Agenda
• September Meeting & Quarterly Agenda Meeting Minutes
• Manager’s Report
• Police Report
• Auxiliary Board Reports

Posted Thursday November 7, 2019 by Allison DeWeese