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Council allows larger Stagecoach Crossing construction sign for up to 18 months
Summary
Council approved a variance to the sign ordinance permitting a 4x8 construction sign (32 sq ft per side, 9.5 ft tall) for Stagecoach Crossing for no more than 18 months after concerns about long-term temporary signs were raised by a resident.
The Bridgeport City Council on May 12 granted a variance to the city’s sign ordinance that allows a construction sign larger and taller than the code permits for the Stagecoach Crossing residential development, approving the request for a period not to exceed 18 months.
Developer Dean Smith and designer Eli Strzok had asked for a 4-by-8-foot sign to identify the new subdivision and list builders and contractors; the proposed sign is about 32 square feet per side and about 9.5 feet tall. City code (article 3.06, section 3.0602) limits construction signs to 12 square feet per side and 6 feet in height. Staff characterized the proposed sign as a construction sign under the sign code and presented the request directly to council (these signs are not processed through P&Z).
Resident Jennifer Jackson urged the council to include an explicit end date for the temporary sign so it would not remain in place indefinitely and deteriorate. After discussion, Councilman Preston Brown moved to grant the variance for a construction sign that exceeds the ordinance limits for up to 18 months; Councilwoman Sylvia Ramirez seconded the motion and the council voted 5-0 to approve.
Developer Dean Smith told council the sign is intended to be temporary and that construction should start as soon as right-of-way and infrastructure items are signed off; he said he expected the sign would not remain up for a year in ordinary circumstances. Council members said an 18-month limit would address resident concerns about prolonged temporary signs.
The ordinance section cited by staff defines a construction sign as temporary signage identifying individuals or companies involved in the development. The council’s approval authorizes the variance for Stagecoach Crossing subject to the 18-month limit; any longer-term or permanent monument signage would require separate review and compliance with the city’s sign regulations.
