Bill aims to ease sign rules

State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine has introduced a bill that would exempt a little more than a mile of Arsenal Street in the city from federal sign regulations that are imposed as part of the city's inclusion in the federal Olympic Trail Scenic Byway.

Inclusion in the byway makes municipalities eligible for tourism-related funding, and comes with restrictions on placement of billboards along the route.

The state Department of Transportation Region 7 has cited two companies for violating a ban on off-premise signs: Vision Development LLC, owner of several restaurants along Interstate 81, and Waterberry Lodging Co., owner of Hampton Inn on Commerce Park Drive, according to Kenneth A. Mix, city planning and community development coordinator.

The bill introduced by Mr. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, on Feb. 3 would allow off-premise billboards that received the proper building permits from the city in 2008 or after. The measure would also enable DOT to grant exemption to the billboard ban for signs proposed for the area of Arsenal Street between Interstate 81 and South Massey Street.

The bill does not state specifically that the previously cited properties will be covered by the exemption.

"This legislation gives the DOT the latitude it needs to make certain exemptions without jeopardizing federal scenic byway funding," said Andrew G. Mangione, Mr. Aubertine's spokesman. "Though this may be a relatively specific bill, in its scope, it is part of the senator's overall commitment to ensuring the success of businesses throughout the district."

The 170-mile Olympic Trail Scenic Byway was designated by the state Legislature more than 20 years ago and passes through Watertown, Harrisville, Star Lake, Tupper Lake and Wilmington along routes 3, 3A, 86 and 9N. The trail begins in Sackets Harbor and ends in Keeseville on the western shore of Lake Champlain.

A message left with DOT's Albany office was not returned.