Barton Village seeks exception to South Hartman sign standards for one entry monument; staff to forward amendment to council

A representative for SB Barton Village TN Sub LLC asked the planning commission to amend the Barton Village North specific plan to allow one development identification sign at the intersection of South Hartman Drive and Barton Village Boulevard and to allow the development to adopt its own unified sign appearance standards inside the plan area.

City staff described the request as an amendment to the specific plan (SP) and the South Hartman Overlay that would create a new sign type not currently allowed in the SP and would exempt that sign type from some walkable-subdistrict standards. Staff told commissioners the request is a recommendation to the city council; staff said the expected city council ordinance timeline would include first reading on March 18, a public hearing, and a second reading on April 15.

A developer representative said the sign and related standards had been included in earlier SP materials but “it just never made its way with the package through city council.” The representative added, “This is ready to be fabricated,” and said the applicant discovered staff would not allow construction until the SP language was amended.

Commissioners raised concerns about consistency with the South Hartman Overlay and the city’s sign ordinance, noting that much of the corridor’s signage predates the overlay. Staff explained many existing signs were built before the overlay and some signs are grandfathered; the proposed monument-style sign uses metal and concrete materials and is similar to signage the city expects in the overlay, though size and materials are points of review.

Next steps: staff will forward the SP amendment to city council for ordinance readings; planning staff identified March 18 for first reading and April 15 for second reading and public hearing on the ordinance.