Westwood Officials Introduce Holiday Sign Law

A proposed ordinance introduced by the Westwood Council this week would allow window paintings like those at , but the temporary decorations would be more closely regulated.

Under the proposed law, window paintings would be allowed four times each year for a maximum of 45 days each.  Paintings will need to be removed within seven days of the holiday. No more than 50 percent of the window could be covered.

Currently, the borough's sign laws do not include rules for window paintings. Steven Leyva of Sugarflake Bakery said he had the shop's windows painted four or five times each year to celebrate holidays and seasons for more than 10 years without any problems.

Earlier this year, borough officials began , saying the paintings were not allowed because they were not included in the list of permitted temporary signs. A painting of strawberries and baked goods on the shop's windows went uncompleted for months, but it was since colored in.

Leyva said he thought the proposed rules were "not bad" and noted that they allow for windows to be painted for a total of six months each year, which is not too far from what he has done in the past, he said.

"I'm going to keep doing what I do," Leyva said.

The council is expected to vote on the ordinance in September.

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