Hawkesbury council agreed to revise the current bylaw dealing with signage in the municipality to allow local businesses, both commercial and industrial, to install rooftop signage. The main condition to the change in the bylaw is that the businessowner be able to prove that the new rooftop addition does not prose any safety problems.
The decision to alter the bylaw resulted from a request to the municipality from Pierre Manthas, owner and founder of the Artist-in-Residence distillery in Québec. Manthas is in the process of expanding his company with construction of a second distillery in Hawkesbury. He wants to set up a rooftop sign on the facility when it is completed as part of his overall promotion plans for the business.
Chief Building Officer Daniel Tessier indicated to council that rooftop signage for commercial or industrial buildings may be feasible. But, he noted, the building owner must provide a certified engineering report that confirms that a rooftop sign will not pose any safety problems with the overall structural integrity of the building.
Council agreed with the recommendation and approved the revision to the bylaw. Administration also confirmed that the revision allowing rooftop signage only applies to commercial and industrial buildings.