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Zoning board approves oversized Ford sign at 968 Bridge Street with lighting limits
Summary
The Northampton Board of Appeals approved a special permit allowing an oversized and additional illuminated sign for Ford of Northampton at 968 Bridge Street, subject to dimensional and lighting conditions and compliance with the city zoning ordinance.
The Northampton County Board of Appeals on a unanimous vote approved a special permit allowing a new oversized, multiple sign on the Ford of Northampton building at 968 Bridge Street.
The board granted the permit after the applicant, Tracy Janek of Sign Techniques, described a proposed wall sign measuring 2 feet 10 inches by 14 feet (39.2 square feet) and said the sign was required by Ford’s corporate branding program. Janek said the sign would be flush-mounted and “will only come out 10 and an 8” inches from the wall.
Board members said the sign faces north toward the highway and parking area, not directly toward nearby houses, and that the new sign is primarily informational and directional for the dealership’s commercial vehicle center. David Bloomberg, chair, summarized the board’s finding that “the architecture of the building and the location and the nature of the use are such that additional signs and this additional sign with this larger size would not detract from the character of the neighborhood and should be permitted in the public interest.”
City planning staff Nathan Chung told the board that lighting levels and photo-control requirements are governed by the city zoning ordinance. Chung cited the ordinance’s sign-lighting rules (zoning ordinance 350-12.2 and related tables) and noted that the board does not have authority to waive those lighting-brightness standards. Chung said those standards require business sign lights to be equipped with photo control and turned off at close of business unless an alternate is approved through site plan review.
The board placed conditions on its approval. The motion named the approved sign as shown in the applicant’s submittal and required: (1) the wall sign not exceed 12 inches in total projection from the wall and be flush-mounted as represented; (2) the sign be installed below the building roof line as shown in the submission; and (3) all illumination comply with the city zoning ordinance for sign lighting, including photo control and lumen limits administered by the building department and planning staff.
The board closed public comment before voting; no written public comments were received by the 4 p.m. deadline. The three full voting members — David Bloomberg, Elizabeth Silver and Maureen Scanlon — voted to approve the special permit. The board advised the applicant to work with the city building inspector and planning staff on lighting controls and any required site-plan follow-up.
