2008-08 GRANTING VARIANCES IN WEST MAIN STREET OVERLAY DISTRICT - 1096 WEST MAIN STREET

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Excerpts from Plan Commission Minutes of March 6, 2008 New Business Cal.No. 08-07 Petition of JOHN PHILLIPS for a variance in the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance 3512, as amended, Section XX.E) to increase the number of wall signs and to increase the area of two (2) wall signs located at 1096 West Main Street. Ms. Stickle was sworn in by Mrs. Poland. Ms. Stickle presented the recommendation of staff: In November 2006, the Plan Commission recommended approval and the City Council approved the creation of the West Main Street Overlay District to provide standards to allow for the preservation of the historic character of the street and neighborhood. A set of design guidelines far the street was also approved as part of the overlay district being created. The guidelines for signage are more stringent than what is allowed for regular zoning districts. The petitioner is requesting a variance to allow for larger wall signs than are allowed by the guidelines as well as increasing the number of wall signs that are allowed. The Overlay District allows for one (1) wall sign per lot and a total of 25 square feet in area for the wall sign. The petitioner is requesting to allow a total of three (3) wall signs on the automotive service station that is currently being renovated. The entire property consists of three (3) lots, however two (2) of the requested wall signs will be located on the same lot. Therefore, the petitioner is requesting an increase in the number of wall signs allowed on a lot. The petitioner also requests that two (2) of the wall signs exceed the allowed area of a wall sign: one (1) sign that will face West Main Street will be 94 square feet in area and a second wall sign that will face Oakland Avenue will be 54 square feet in area. A third sign will be located over the entrance facing the corner will be 20 square feet in area and does not require a variance. The automotive service station is located on the corner of West Main Street and Oakland Avenue and has been a commercial property for many years. Allowing for wall signage for a long standing commercial property will not create a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood. The signage guidelines allow for one (1) wall sign per lot; this property contains three (3) lots which in theory would allow for three (3) wall signs, increasing the number of wall signs on one (1) of the lots from one (1) to two (2) will not negatively affect the intent of the signage portion of the Overlay District. The intent of the signage guidelines for the Overlay District was to help with the adaptive reuse of properties within the Overlay District which are generally single-family structures. The adaptive reuse will generally 4ccur between two residential uses and the idea was to limit the intrusiveness of signage vvithin the area of mixed uses. This property has clearly been commercial and most likely will continue to be a commercial property for decades to come. Staff is of the opinion that increasing the area of the wall signs on the automotive service station will not change the historic character of the neighborhood as the station has been there for many years. The signs should not be intrusive to the general streetscape as they will be at least 80 feet from both streets. Both wall signs are less than ten percent (10%) of the fa�ade on which they are located which is the threshold for regular zoning districts.