Planning & Zoning Director Laurence Bradley said that at a Planning & Zoning Commission work session held on Sept. 17, it was agreed to extend  the suspension of enforcement on free-standing portable signs until Jan. 31, 2010.

The relaxed enforcement was originally scheduled to end at the end of September, but the commission saw no compelling reason to make any changes at this time.  The commission expects to consider the matter in more detail during the winter. 

In February 2009, the commission adopted the following resolution: 

“Resolved, in light of the current uniquely adverse economic conditions facing Westport merchants, effective immediately and until September 30, 2009, the Planning & Zoning Commission instructs the Planning & Zoning Director to not enforce Section 33-3.15 of the Westport Zoning Regulations which states, “Free-standing portable signs, such as sandwich signs, shall be prohibited” unless the Director feels that there is a health or safety issue. The purpose of this temporary action is to allow merchants to temporarily use modest sized free standing portable signs to advertise products sold and/or services rendered by businesses on such property where the sign is located to help promote their business during the hours that their establishment is open for business.”

All other sections of the Zoning Regulations remain in effect.