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Navasota council tables hearing on Mount Calvary Baptist Church sign variance until location is confirmed
Summary
The City Council opened a public hearing on a variance request from Mount Calvary Baptist Church to install a freestanding off‑premise directional sign at 1201 W. Washington, then voted to table the request pending verification of whether the proposed sign would sit on private property or in city/TxDOT right of way.
The Navasota City Council on Monday opened a public hearing on a variance request from Mount Calvary Baptist Church to install a freestanding, off‑premise directional sign at 1201 West Washington and then voted to table the request until staff can confirm the sign’s exact placement and property ownership.
City Development Services Director Lupe Diostado summarized the application and staff outreach, saying staff mailed 74 notices to adjacent property owners, placed an ad in the Navasota Examiner and posted a sign on the property to announce the hearing.
Diostado told council the church proposes a sign at the Washington Avenue/People Street corner; because the church does not own the corner parcel, the request is treated as an off‑premise sign and requires a variance from the sign ordinance. "Since the church or any ownership of properties by them is not located at that site, it is considered off premise and not allowed in our sign ordinance," Diostado said.
Quintisha Garrett, who spoke for the church, said the sign is intended as a directional aid for older members and described the sign as small: "The dimensions I believe is 3 feet wide by 10 inches tall, so not a very large sign," she said. Garrett also said the current property owner had expressed confusion about whether the sign location is private property or city right of way and that the owner was willing to be re‑contacted annually about consent.
Council members pressed staff on whether the proposed sign would sit in the city or TxDOT right of way and on the city’s policy against permanent structures in public rights of way. Diostado said signs cannot be placed in the public right of way without a separate license agreement and recommended verification of the parcel boundary before action. A staff member added that if a sign were in the public right of way, council would still need to grant a variance but placement in public property raises additional prohibitions.
After public comment and staff discussion, a councilmember moved to table the item until staff verifies the sign’s location and ownership of the parcel. The motion received a second and passed on a voice vote.
The council did not approve the variance and left the public hearing record closed pending location confirmation and any further documentation from the church or property owner.
The council’s action leaves the church able to pursue private permission if the property owner consents; staff noted that a property owner who does not want a sign may remove it regardless of a council variance.
The council’s next steps are to verify the sign’s proposed location against property lines and easements and report back to council for further action.
