North Ridgeville board reverses staff on Center Ridge Dental roof-sign determination

The Board of Zoning and Building Appeals of the City of North Ridgeville voted unanimously to reverse the zoning administrator’s determination that a proposed sign for Center Ridge Dental is a prohibited roof sign, clearing the way for the applicant to pursue permitting for a sign above the practice at Center Ridge Road and Leer Nagle Road.

The issue mattered to the board because the business and building owner said road-widening projects removed frontage and parking, limiting visible locations for a new sign; the board’s reversal lets the applicant avoid a flat statutory prohibition while city staff considers how to classify and size the sign under the code.

Planning and development director Lieber told the board the city revised its sign code in 2023 and that the update included a prohibition on roof signs. "In 2023, we updated the sign code, and at that time, we prohibited roof signs," Lieber said, noting the code does not define "roof" or "roof line." Assistant law director Morgan told the board the phrase "roof line" is commonly understood as a building's top profile and that it is not necessarily synonymous with the word "roof." "Does…