“Second coming….”

Planners to hold new sign hearing soon

“Signs for Jesus”:

Fab Cusson disputes how the planning board is interpreting the zoning board’s decision regarding electronic signs.

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By DAN O’BRIEN

Union Leader Correspondent

CHICHESTER — The town planning board has voted to hold another hearing on the “Signs for Jesus” proposal in the next month or so.

Thursday night marked Fab Cusson’s second round in front of the board, which he first approached last spring asking to place a 12-foot electronic sign posting Bible versus near the corner of Route 4 and Main Street.

The board initially denied Cusson’s proposal because members said it violated a 2005 ordinance prohibiting electronic signs in the town’s business district. But on appeal in November, the zoning board ruled the ordinance was not properly published to town residents before it was voted into effect.

With the case back before the planning board, Cusson is now disputing how the planning board is interpreting the zoning board’s decision.

Planning officials said the electronic sign ordinance has been effectively overturned. That would mean Cusson would have to adhere to the town’s 1988 sign ordinance, which would prohibit an electronic sign to no more than 4 by 6 feet. However, Cusson said the zoning board only ruled to eliminate wording referring to the electronic sign and the rest of the 2005 ordinance is still in effect.

“The board was very clear,” Cusson said. “We’re making the sign so small it’s really tying my hands in putting the Scripture up.”

“You can’t pick and choose what you want to follow,” said planning board member Stanley Brehm.

Board members said they had a lengthy conversation with the town’s attorney on what the zoning board’s ruling meant.

“We were told it’s totally invalid unless it goes to town meeting (and is approved by residents) in March,” said planning board chairman Tom Jameson.

The planning board on Thursday could have denied Cusson’s application, accepted it or continue it to a later date. A hearing has not been scheduled, but board members said it would probably take place between one and two months from now.

The board also had a list of technical concerns with the project that members said had to do with state laws, including driveway size, bathrooms and handicapped accessibility.

In previous interviews, Cusson explained that his idea to put up a sign displaying Bible verses came to him while he was sitting at a red light at the Chichester intersection. Within weeks, he and his father purchased the property with the sole purpose of putting up the sign.

Cusson said he beat an Oxy-Contin addiction more than five years ago by reading the Bible and without going to rehab.

Since the New Hampshire Union Leader first reported on his story in August, Cusson’s efforts gained national media attention and he has received donations from people across the country. He said his goal is to launch Signs for Jesus in other parts of the country and has started a website: Signs4Jesus. com.

Union Leader, The/New Hampshire Sunday News (Manchester, NH)

New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, NH)

October 7, 2010 Second coming of ‘Signs for Jesus’
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NH Estimated printed pages: 3 Article Text:By DAN O’BRIEN Union Leader Correspondent

CHICHESTER — The local zoning board is giving Signs for Jesus a second chance. The board voted unanimously last night to re-hear a proposal to place a 12-foot electronic sign that would display Bible verses at the intersection of Route 4 and Main Street. A date has not been set. The decision came after the board got advice from a lawyer who specializes in religious rights issues. Attorney Michael Tierney, a member of the national Alliance Defense Fund, submitted to the Chichester Board of Adjustment a thick packet containing reasons arguing why their Aug. 18 denial of the electronic sign was incorrect. Fab Cusson, 38, of Barnstead, a carpenter who was addicted to OxyContin and methadone for 10 years and credits the Bible for him getting clean in 2005, owns the land and wants to place a sign there to spread the word of the Lord. Cusson, who recently launched the website Signs4Jesus.com, said the Chichester sign will be the first of several to be installed nationally. Since his story gained national attention in August, he’s received calls and e-mails from people across the country looking to help, he said. “This is bigger than Chichester. This is just the starting point,” Cusson said. The zoning board ruled against Cusson’s proposal in August because it said a town ordinance strictly prohibits electronic signs. However, after going into a non-public session with the town’s attorney last night, the board said a re-hearing would be allowed because it found the ordinance was “not validly adopted.” Board members would not elaborate on what that meant, but they provided a photo copy of the appeal prepared by attorney Tierney outlining their justification for the vote. The document said wording of the electronic sign ordinance, passed by voters in 2006, was never fully explained or provided to the residents before they decided in favor of it. According to Tierney, that makes the ordinance invalid. “The site plan review expressly states they’re allowed,” he said. At the August public hearing, some residents were concerned whether the signs would be distracting. The electronic sign ordinance states signs that flash or scroll messages are prohibited. While the religion issue apparently did not come into play in the zoning board’s decision, Tierney argued in documents that the sign has a right to exist under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a law passed in 2000 to promote land-use rights with religions and prisoners. Cusson is proposing to change the message on his Signs for Jesus across the country from his computer each day. Tierney argued the board’s August ruling infringes on his religious freedom. “Transportation difficulties may prevent (Signs for Jesus) from being able to put up a new Biblical message on each board each day,” Tierney wrote, “and therefore decrease the effectiveness of communicating the scriptures.” Cusson said it costs about $30,000 to install his sign. He said that because of the media publicity, he’s gotten donations from people in other parts of the country. “We’ve talked to a lot of people who believe in what we’re doing,” he said. Copyright, 2010, Union Leader Corp.
Record Number: mandc5-5wih286cgfauym2noyl