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

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ECONOMIC AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM Memo No. 08-26 March 12, 2008 �� TO: Honorable Mayor Paul Osborne and City Council FROM: Steve Garm City Manager , Greg C. Cr , Assistant City Manage�C`'i ' Suzan Stick , Senior Planner�� SUBJECT: Request variances for signage in the West Main Street Overlay District at 1096 West Main Street SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the va�ance petition to allow two (2) wall signs on one(1)lot and to increase the area of one(1)wall sign from 25 s uare feet to 54 square feet and a second(2"d)wall sign from 25 square feet to 94 square feet. The City Plan Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval of this petition as presented at the March 6, 2008 hearing; the minutes of the meeting are attached. '� BACKGROUND: In November 2006, the Plan Commission recommende approval and the City Council �I, approved the creation of the West Main Street Overlay District (WM-OL) to p ovide standards to allow for the �� preservation of the historic character of the street and neighborhood. A set o design guidelines for the street was also approved as part of the WM-OL district being created. The guidelines far signage are more stringent than what is allowed for regular zoning districts. The WM-0L 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 a tomotive service station that is currently being renovated. 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. 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 st nding commercial property will not create a negative impact on the surrounding neighbarhood or chang the historic character of the neighborhood. Increasing the number of wall signs will not negatively affect th intent of the signage portion of the WM-OL. The intent of the signage guidelines for the WM-OL was to elp with the adaptive reuse of properties within the WM-OL which are generally single-family structures and the idea was to limit the intrusiveness of signage within the areas of mixed uses. This property has clearly been commercial and most likely will continue to be a commercial property for decades to come. The signs should not be intrusive to the general streetscape as they will be at least 80 feet from both streets. Both wa 1 signs are less than ten percent (10%) of the fa�ade on which they are located which is the threshold for regular zoning districts. POTENTIAL OBJECTION: There were no known objectors at the Plan Co ission meeting. INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES: N/A STAFF REFERENCE: Any additional questions may be forwarded to Suzan tickle at 424-2786 or at smstickle(a�decaturnet.org. BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: None