The Damariscotta Planning Board finalized a few substantive changes to the sign ordinance on Monday, April 11, and sent the most recent draft — now draft 15 — onto the Board of Selectmen for review, with a recommended public hearing in advance of town meeting on June 15.

Anthony Dater, town planner, said that the final step of holding the public hearing is necessary for the ordinance to be addressed at town meeting.

Draft 15 contains a few substantive changes, a few minor edits, and a new definition.

Banners are defined as a cloth advertisement firmly attached to a structure, and they are now allowed as long as they are stable and secure.

There are now more signs permitted in the C1 (downtown business) district. In previous drafts, each business was limited to two signs facing Main Street and two signs facing the waterfront parking lot. Several businesses have frontage on other sides, so the ordinance was changed to say that two signs are permitted on each side of the business.

The Planning Board also elected to allow chalkboard signs of up to six square feet. Chalkboard signs are typically used to advertise specials of the day for restaurants and other businesses.

Finally, in the C2 business district, all electronically changeable signs must be reduced to 50 percent power between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.  Residents who live near businesses with any illuminated signage where light is “trespassing” on their property and they consider it a nuisance can go to the code enforcement officer and seek a negotiation with the business.

Before it goes into effect, the ordinance needs approval at town meeting.