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Naming rights for park will have to wait
(by Sue Reid - September 17, 2008)
Naming rights for park will have to wait
By SUE REID
South Russell Mayor Matthew E. Brett said the village's parks committee had discussed the idea of silent bids for naming rights of the front field at South Russell Village Park. The committee had contemplated that taking place during the annual fall festival slated for next month.
Mr. Brett said the thought was that it would be a way to encourage residents' involvement, as well as to raise funds. The naming rights would be for a one-year period, and the name would go onto the sign that reads South Russell Village Park.
However, since the village will not have a sign in place this year, the auction would need to take place at some other time, Mr. Brett said. "We can't create the ability for someone to have the field named and have no place to display it."
The parks committee had indicated it would like a sign in place by the end of the year and is developing ideas and cost projections, Mr. Brett said, "but it's unclear at this point if there will be funding for this year."
In addition, he said, the sign would require the approval of the village's board of zoning appeals. "No drawings have been submitted yet," he said. "I'm clearly for us having a sign there but not a billboard." He said he is in favor of a "Metropark type of sign."
"It will probably require a variance," Mr. Brett said.
Building Commissioner David Hocevar said the village's ordinance regarding signage depends upon the particular zoning within the district. Different signs are permitted for residential areas, business districts and industrial districts, Mr. Hocevar said.
"The sign is regulated by the lineal foot of the frontage of building, and has to be so far back," he said.
South Russell Village Park is in a residential district, so a sign would have to go before either the zoning board of appeals or architectural board of review, Mr. Hocevar said.
The village would have to comply with its regulations, he said. "Depending on the size of the sign, it could require a variance."
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