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KATHLEEN DUNCAN

RONALD CHATEAUNEUF

A City Council subcommittee has been working for four months to amend a 16-page sign bylaw proposed by an ad hoc committee of the Economic Development and Industrial Commission, but there are still disagreements over the document.

After 31 months of often tedious and sometimes vitriolic meetings, several councilors still say they are uncomfortable with the concept of commercial signs on public property, a measure that has been pushed strongly by the EDIC and some business owners.

An attempt by Ordinance Subcommittee Chairman Ronald D. Chateauneuf last month to insert new sections into the draft - sections that would have kept business owners from including their logos on off-premise signs and also would prohibit sandwich board signs in the highway business district - angered EDIC members. They said they felt "betrayed" and that the Ordinance Subcommittee was trying to slip in last-minute measures after the EDIC had worked for months on its proposal.

Another provision suggested by Chateauneuf, which EDIC member David Boyle called a "sunset provision," would have required the next City Council to vote to reaffirm the sign bylaws.

So strong was the reaction at the Ordinance Subcommittee's July 27 meeting that members agreed to scratch Chateauneuf's provisions and meet again in September to discuss such amendments.

Chateauneuf called his draft "an attempt to consolidate and organize," but conceded that he had added new measures. He also told business owners that he wanted to present a proposal to the full council that would have a good chance of passing.

"Like it or not, what comes out of subcommittee may not be the original document we received," Chateauneuf said. "We need to get this final draft done."

Several business owners accused Chateauneuf of having an anti-sign agenda. But Councilor Andrea Burns defended him, calling his draft a compromise.

"We've never really solved the issue of off-premise signs," Burns said. "I've never felt entirely comfortable with that section."

Open studio event

Riffing on popular open studios events held around the city several times each year, Easthampton City Arts is planning something a bit bigger.

The arts organization, based in the historic Town Hall on Main Street, is organizing an Easthampton Studio Day that will take place in mill studios, home studios and on sidewalks and other public areas.

Artists around the city will hold demonstrations and exhibit and sell their work, said City Arts Coordinator Briana Taylor.

The event is planned for Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It coincides with National American Craft Week, a nationwide celebration of arts and crafts.

Taylor said that City Arts will be publishing a map with listings of locations and performances that will be held around Easthampton.

More than 20 artists have come forward to participate and Easthampton City Arts is looking for more, Taylor said. The deadline to be listed on the organization's map is Aug. 31. There is an entry fee to be listed that ranges from $25 to $50 depending on how prominent the artist wishes the listing to be.

Matt Pilon can be reached at mpilon@gazettenet.com.