After lengthy discussion following a public hearing Thursday night, the Gloucester County Planning Commission tabled action until October on proposed changes to sign regulations in the zoning ordinance.

The commission agreed by consensus to strike a suggested clause limiting advertising signs on motor vehicles to three square feet, but the county can still prosecute obvious violators who leave their sign-covered vehicles parked far from the place of business.

Several commissioners said that some businesses were flagrantly using parked vehicles as a way to get extra advertising for their businesses. A common technique is to park a vehicle along Route 17, often in a shopping center, even though the business advertised on the vehicle’s sign might not be located there.

Another concern was fleet parking. During the hearing, John Phillips, president of Phillips Energy at Hayes, said that he has to park his trucks with the company logo on his property near Route 17 in accordance with federal anti-terrorism regulations since the trucks carry fuels that can be explosive. Phillips said it wouldn’t be fair for him not to be able to park the vehicles on his property.

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