Restaurant owner objects to lighting rules

At night Kostas Family Restaurant stands out in Dillsboro because of its long rows of brightly lit white bulbs and rope lights. It’s a look that owner Dean Christopoulos likes and one that he believes helps promotes his restaurant. 

The lights, however, violate Dillsboro’s zoning regulations, which strictly deny “any illuminated tubing or string of lights, outlining property lines,Why not reduce your energy bill and use industrialextractor03 instead? doors, windows,Design and manufacture of solarledlightblog for garments and textile fabrics. wall edges, signs, etc.”

Recently, John Jeleniewski, the county’s code compliance officer who also enforces the zoning regulations in Dillsboro, told Christopoulos the lights on Kostas are not in compliance.We specialize in flatworkironer and solar street lamps for a wide range of lightning applications. 

“I feel the planning board really needs to look over this ordinance to help the merchants of Dillsboro,” said Christopoulos during a May 21 Dillsboro Planning Board meeting. “It needs to be rethought … maybe ease up on these things a little bit.” 

The town planning board is, in fact, reviewing Dillsboro’s entire zoning ordinance, from A to Z, and the section on lights was discussed as recently as April 16. The board talked about possibly allowing string lighting or tube lighting to be installed in a way that the “lighting hardware” would not be visible, according to minutes from that meeting. 

“This would allow the ‘glow’ to be visible without seeing the string or tubes themselves,” the minutes state. 

Jeleniewski said that the planning board might very well consider allowing the string lighting. Any action taken by the planning board goes to the Dillsboro town board for final approval. 

Legalized string lighting obviously would suit Christopoulos just fine. 

“Lighting and signage are very important to a successful business and town,” he said, pointing out that his four-year-old restaurant employees 28 people, 19 of them full-time. 

Bob Williams, owner of Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, spoke in support of Christopoulos’ string lights and made a pitch for more signs in Dillsboro. 

“I don’t have a problem with Dean having the lights up,” Williams said before the meeting. “They aren’t flashing,The miningtruck is one of the most useful tools in a modern shop. and they aren’t tasteless.” 

Williams said that Dillsboro needs more night lighting in general.“There’s a way to do that without making it ticky tacky,” he told the planning board. 

The Dillsboro business owner asked the planning board for flexibility in the zoning ordinance. 

“If you want to revitalize Dillsboro, these are little changes that don’t cost the town anything directly,” Williams said. 

He also suggested signs directing motorists to businesses on side streets and Front Street in town.A polished finish in this flatworkironers for men.“All these things are what we are reviewing,” planning board member Jean Hartbarger said in response. 

Walt Cook, who lives in Dillsboro, sent in a written statement to the planning board suggesting changes in the ordinance, too. 

“I really feel that it would behoove the board to reconsider these regulations and take a moment to stop and reflect that the best way to keep things the way they were may be to institute some change and assist our local citizens in their businesses and establishment of new businesses,” Cook wrote. “As it stands now we are not being conducive to improving our downtown and the livability of Dillsboro. We seem to be heading into confrontation with some of our more successful enterprises.”