BZA grants two variances to let Anderson Brothers use existing arm post sign on Main Street

The Conway Board of Zoning Appeals on March 27 granted two variances to allow a new hanging sign for Anderson Brothers at 424 Main Street to be installed on an existing 15‑foot arm post that previously held a Bank of America sign.

Richard Carroll, speaking for Anderson Brothers, said the building is a historic downtown property and the applicant seeks to repaint and reuse the old arm post for a 21‑square‑foot non‑illuminated hanging sign. “This is a historic landmark, in Downtown Conway,” Carroll said. He told the board the last use of the post was Bank of America (closed in 2021), and that the proposed sign is smaller than what would be allowed under the current code for new monument signs.

The application requested (1) a 7‑foot variance to allow the existing 15‑foot arm post to be used for the new sign and (2) a variance to permit re‑use of a nonconforming sign arm post that has not been used for signage within the last 60 days. Staff noted that if the variances are granted, the sign must still receive Community Appearance Board approval before a permit is issued. Carroll said the applicant prefers to reuse the existing post to avoid putting a monument sign into the sidewalk area.

Board members discussed the post’s historical presence on Main Street and asked whether the post had been in place for many years; one member said it has been there “as long as I can remember.” The board approved both variances by voice vote and reminded the applicant that if the post is removed in the future, a similar structure could not be reinstalled.

The transcript records motions and approvals for both variances; roll‑call vote counts are not recorded in the transcript. The Community Appearance Board must review the specific sign design before a building permit can be issued.