In the wake of a state Supreme Court decision depriving Connecticut towns of the power to regulate the color of signs, Ridgefield had to consider ending its prescription that all signs be black and white, the Sept. 1, 1988 Press reported.
Town Planner Oswald Inglese said he would propose a new sign regulation to the Planning and Zoning Commission. “I’m concerned about it because I don’t want the downtown to end up with a lot of honky-tonky, cheapo signs,” said Mr. Inglese.
But First Selectman Sue Manning wasn’t so concerned. “I doubt businesses are going to run out and replace their signs just because they’re black and white,” said Mrs. Manning, who added that she agreed with the court decision. “I’ve always been in the opinion that you can’t regulate taste. Everyone’s taste is different and the government shouldn’t be involved with it.”
The tail end of tropical storm Chris whipped through town early Monday evening with lashing rain and gust of more than 45 miles per hour. The worst of the storm lasted only 15 minutes but it knocked down trees and large limbs causing a power outage for more than 1,500 of the town’s households. Among the areas where most of the damage occurred were Main and Peaceable streets, High Ridge, Branchville Road and parts of Ridgebury, including Spring Valley Road and the Lake Mamanasco area.
The Board of Selectmen voted to keep town hall where it was and where it will “always” be. “I think town hall belongs on Main Street because it attracts people to the community,” said Selectman Karen Giblin. At their meeting the selectmen reviewed architectural plans developed by Steve Smith that included a “large” capacity meeting room that could accommodate 45 to 65 people. The plans did not include an elevator.
The Board of Selectmen also listened to concerns about empty storefronts and vacant commercial office space in town. Selectman Giblin, who had been a member of the recently disbanded “downtown committee” said, “I do feel we have big problems with Main Street. Have you walked down Main Street lately? There is one empty store after another.”
She cited high rents, traffic, parking and the Danbury Mall, which was in its second year of operation, as possible reasons for the difficulties.
Not everyone was sounding alarm bells, however. As the owner of two village commercial blocks and a total of 18 storefronts, Enrico Addessi said he was not concerned. “Ridgefield is very vibrant. Right now, it’s a little slow,” said Mr. Addessi. Edwin Allan, a village landlord, also said he wasn’t concerned. “There’s always turnover… There’s a lot of space filled. There may not be the pent-up demand for space there once was,” he said.
Police Chief Thomas J. Rotunda Jr. was named to a state Task Force Study on Teenage Suicide as a representative of the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association. Chief Rotunda said there had been three attempted suicides in Ridgefield the previous year and that there may have been more. “Parents find their children and take care of him or her, so the police are never called in some cases,” said the chief. Chief Rotunda blamed depression and alcohol in many cases and added that other contributing factors might be broken relationships or even a breakdown in communication with parents.