Janesville planning panel approves additional ground sign at Uptown Janesville

The Janesville Plan Commission on Jan. 20 approved an amendment to a conditional use permit to allow a new 73.5-square-foot ground sign at 2500 Milton Ave., a shopping center commonly known as Uptown Janesville.

Taylor, with the building division, told the commission the Uptown Janesville property is 31.48 acres, zoned B-2 community shopping, and currently operates under a conditional use permit. The original conditional use permit amendment approved on Nov. 17, 2014 authorized an oversized marquee sign and specified that the marquee would be the only ground sign on the property. Since then, the Woodman Sports and Convention Center project carved out about 7.8 acres from the property and reduced overall street frontage from 3,875 feet to about 3,230 feet.

Staff said the proposed monument-style sign would be 73.5 square feet, internally illuminated, and oriented perpendicular to Milton Avenue at the Refset Drive entrance. Tenant panels on the sign would advertise Coles and Sephora in the top panel, with a blank panel below reserved for Dick's Sporting Goods. The proposal would require removal of a mature tree near the sign; staff recommended the property owner install a replacement large deciduous tree within the same lawn area by July 1, 2025. Taylor said the proposed sign would comply with the 75-square-foot monument sign requirement under the city's sign standards.

Tim Lindau, representing Rockstep, said Rockstep still owns the existing marquee sign and that the city holds easement rights as part of a larger agreement; he provided his address for the record as 100 South Main Street.

Commissioner Dunger moved to find the proposed ground sign compliant with standards for conditional use approval under the Janesville Zoning Ordinance and to approve an amendment to the conditional use permit to allow the installation of the 73.5-square-foot ground sign at 2500 Milton Ave., subject to the conditions listed in the memorandum dated Jan. 20, 2025. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Madair. The commission approved the motion by voice vote with all commissioners present voting yes.

The approval is subject to the conditions recommended by staff: that the sign be installed in substantial compliance with the illustration shown as exhibit A, that no other ground signs be permitted on the property, and that the removed street tree be replaced with a large deciduous tree in the indicated lawn area by July 1, 2025. The commission's action implements the amendment; any future signage proposals for separately owned lots within or adjacent to the center would need to be considered under applicable permits and property ownership arrangements.