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Park District given board approval to pursue V‑shaped electronic sign; staff to draft ordinance
Summary
The Village Board directed staff April 7 to prepare final documents for DC‑24‑069, allowing multiple variations for an electronic sign at 750 West Northwest Highway. Motion passed by voice vote with conditions from staff and the Design Commission.
The Village Board on April 7 directed staff and the village attorney to prepare an ordinance approving zoning variations requested by the Arlington Heights Park District for an electronic sign at 750 West Northwest Highway (DC‑24‑069).
John Kramer, representing the Park District, said the proposal is "the addition of an electronic sign at Northwest Highway in Euclid in front of the Arlington Ridge Center" and that the district modeled the design on the village sign. Senior planner Emily Radman summarized the five/six variation requests: location, separation from other ground signs, sign height, overall sign size, electronic message area size, and the distance to adjacent residential property. The Design Commission recommended a V‑shaped sign to improve visibility.
Trustee Leves moved the directive; Trustee Schwingbeck seconded. The motion asked staff to prepare final approval documents based on a revised V‑shaped sign plan (dated 02/03/2025) and the revised site and landscape plan (dated 02/26/2025), and to include the three staff conditions listed in the agenda materials. The board approved the motion by voice vote.
The specific code variations noted in the motion include a variation from Village of Arlington Heights Municipal Code Chapter 30 (sections cited in the board packet) to allow:
- an electronic message sign facing Northwest Highway where such signs are normally limited to major arterial commercial corridors; - a 665‑foot separation between ground signs where 800 feet is required; - a 10.44‑foot ground sign height where 6 feet is the maximum; - a 36.2 sq ft ground sign where 25 sq ft is allowed; - an electronic message panel that comprises 32.2 sq ft (89% of the ground sign) where the code limits the electronic portion to a smaller fraction; - an electronic message sign 232 feet from a residential use where 300 feet is required.
Radman and the Park District showed landscaping plans and sight‑visibility graphics that staff said would keep the sign from being visible to the nearest residence despite the reduced setback. Staff later confirmed the sign "is only permitted to be illuminated during the hours of which the business it's representing" and said illumination would need to match the Arlington Ridge Center hours.
The Design Commission and staff recommended approval subject to conditions that will be incorporated into the ordinance staff prepares for a future board meeting.
