News

By Tim O’Meilia
    
Condominium entrance sign lettering and logos may be a bit larger under South Palm Beach’s new sign code, but Town Council members insist on being the deciders on variances.
    The council agreed to revamp the code at its June 25 meeting, including giving the Architectural Review Board the responsibility for reviewing exceptions, but wants to keep final decision-making for itself.
    “This is the meeting most people come to. Let the council make the final decision,” said council member Stella Jordan.
    The change would have transferred jurisdiction for the sign code from the Planning Board to the Architectural Review Board but given the board final say on sign variance requests.
    “The last place should be the council,” Mayor Donald Clayman said. The other council members agreed.
    The change allows a maximum 18-square-foot sign with logos and capital letters no larger than 13 inches and street numbers 10 inches tall. Previously, 8 inches was the maximum letter height, prompting the council to give a variance to the Tuscany condominium earlier this year.
    In other business:
• Approved a $22,050 budget for the town’s annual music and lecture series. The lectures will run from January to early April, with seven talks, one more than this year. The topics will include world affairs, the Middle East, human behavior and humor in the news. Six performances will be featured in the music series, including pianist Yoko Sata Kothari and five programs arranged by Robert Sharon. Season tickets for each series will remain at $70.
    • Approved a $1,500 donation to the town of Lantana for its $25,000 Fourth of July fireworks and celebration.
    • Agreed to repay the town’s reserve fund $25,000 from the $34,000 settlement of a lawsuit over sewage fees charged by Lake Worth for operating the regional sewage treatment system.