Feb 13, 2013 2 min read

McMURRAY – Peters Township Council Monday again spent time discussing issues involving signs.

On Jan. 28, discussion between two attorneys and council centered on an off-premise sign for a restaurant on Camp Lane. The parties were told to resolve the dispute between themselves. On Monday, council heard a request by two representatives of St. Benedict the Abbot Church to allow several signs advertising the upcoming Lenten fish fry events each Friday.

Fred Abrew, a parishoner, said the signs are needed to attract customers for the luncheons and dinners at the church. Township ordinances are stringent on where and how long any temporary sign may be displayed unless a special permit is granted by the township.

Abrew suggested that the church be allowed to place signs throughout the township from Wednesday afternoon until Saturday at noon for the seven weeks in Lent. He called the temporary signs a “reasonable alternative” to obtaining permits.

While council members said they could not bend the rules for the church, several agreed to placing a sign on the Arrowhead Trail bridge over East McMurray Road during weeks not otherwise taken. Council also suggested the church contact area businesses with digital signs, and told Abrew and church facilities manager Michael Benya that church members could place signs no larger than 6 square feet in private yards. Council also suggested the church could attach fish fry advertisements for six weeks to the bottom of its off-premise sign on Valley Brook Road and on the directional, off-premise sign at the intersection of Washington and Valley Brook roads.

Council also approved a special request by the Peters Township cross country boosters for a sign on the Arrowhead Trail bridge for a 5K race. The sign will be on the bridge from June 3 through 15.