Medina asked to update signage regs to allow electronic marquee for Medina Theatre
Village Planning Board will review code for signage and lighting
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Theatre currently only allows letters that are set by hand while a person is on a ladder. The owner of the building wants to put in an electronic sign to promote events at the theatre, 601-611 Main St.
MEDINA – The Village of Medina will review its code for lighting and signage after being asked by the owner of the Medina Theatre to allow electronic signs for the building at 601-611 Main St.
Medina currently doesn’t allow electronic signs. Joe Cardone, owner of the theater, wants a modern marquee to promote events. He also told the Village Board it would be a vast improvement entering the downtown.
Medina currently prohibits digital and electronic signs. Cardone looked at other communities with theaters for how they handle marquees. Lockport allows electronic signs for the marquees while North Tonawanda is more restrictive, Cardone said.
The Village of Gowanda has a comprehensive ordinance and gives the Planning Board and Village Board discretion in reviewing a request for electronic signage.
Cardone said Medina’s code is currently “draconian” and allows no leeway.
“The ordinance as you have it holds you guys back from doing other positive things in the downtown,” Cardone told the Village Board last week. “The ordinance prohibits things allowed in other villages and holds this village back.”
The Flexlume Corporation has proposed this new marquee for the Medina Theatre. The company from Buffalo built the current marquee in 1938.
Cardone is seeking some funds through the $4.5 million allocated by the state to Medina in the NY Forward program. But the committee reviewing the projects said it was difficult to recommend funding for a project that currently isn’t allowed in the village.
He asked the board to consider changing its sign ordinance, either through a comprehensive update of the law or by just focusing on signage and lighting for marquees.
The Village Board agreed to have the Planning Board review the ordinance for all signage and lighting to see if changes are needed.
Trustee Tim Elliott said other aspects of the village code should be looked at, not just the marquee.
Medina’s sign ordinance doesn’t allow: “Any electronic message with a fixed or changeable display, which may be changed by electrical, electronic or computerized process or remote control, and may include animation or motion of any kind, words and/or pictures, electronically projected text, images or graphics, and may also include, but is not limited to, light-emitting diodes (LED), video, television and plasma displays, fiberoptics, holographic images, or other technology that results in bright, high-resolution text, images and graphics.”
The village code also states: “No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing intermittent, rotating or moving lights except to show time and temperature.”
