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Staff recommends 50-foot sign in McDonald’s appeal to I-35 overlay standards
Summary
An appeal to the I-35 overlay signage standards for a McDonald’s sign at the Bel Air retail center asked to raise a sign height to 75 feet; planning staff recommended a 50-foot allowance based on distance from the interstate and a balloon test, but no final decision was recorded at the March 3 work session.
The Planning and Zoning Commission heard an appeal to the I-35 overlay signage standards March 3 from a case involving a proposed McDonald’s sign at the Bel Air retail center, north of Buc-ee’s and just west of Bel Air RV Park. Planning staff said the applicant is requesting a sign height of 75 feet where the current rule allows 35 feet; staff recommended allowing some increase but suggested 50 feet as adequate.
The issue matters because it tests the city’s overlay standards for signs along the I-35 corridor and raises questions about visibility, consistency with nearby signage and the appropriate balance between commercial visibility and overlay protections.
"They're asking for 75. We we think 75 is too tall, but we we believe that they should be allowed to you know, an an appeal of some height, is warranted because they're, you know, roughly 600 feet away from the interstate," said Bridal Chandler, Planning and Development Director. Chandler added that staff and the applicant used a balloon test to show what 50 and 75 feet would look like and that "50 seems to be adequate, and that's that's what we are recommending."
Commissioners asked for comparative context about nearby signs. Chandler indicated staff member Shelby had a slide showing adjacent signage and that the slide would illustrate how other signs in the vicinity compare to the overlay standard. The record shows staff intended to present those comparisons during the regular agenda presentation.
The appeal relates specifically to the city's I-35 overlay signage standards as referenced in the work session; no ordinance number or statute name was given in the transcript. The applicant's location was described as the Bel Air retail center, north of Buc-ee's and just west of the Bel Air RV Park; the discussion also referenced proximity to I-35 (about 600 feet) and a flag/balloon test used to visualize heights.
No formal vote or final decision on the appeal was recorded in the work session transcript. The item was identified as one of two matters on the agenda (the other being a plat), and staff paused to allow a fuller presentation from the transportation update before resuming the case discussion.
Staff indicated they will present detailed slides and context on nearby signage for commissioners to review as part of the case record. The transcript does not show a commission ruling on the appeal during the March 3 work session.
