Warren — The Warren City Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday denied a request from Paslin to install a large mural-style wall sign on the east elevation of its Ryan Road facility, saying the applicant had not shown a hardship to justify the variance.

The board voted 4–5 to deny permission to install a new 12‑foot by 36‑foot (432 square feet) wall sign and to retain an existing 48‑square‑foot sign for a total of 480 square feet. The motion to approve the reduced size was made by Mister Cliff and supported by Mister Perry; four members voted yes and five voted no, so the item failed.

Planning staff had told the board the proposed sign would be set back about 250 feet from Ryan Road and that “the size of the text on the proposed sign combined with the distance from passing vehicles traveling along Ryan Road will prohibit the sign from clearly being seen by passing motorists,” a statement read into the record by Secretary Jersey citing the planning director’s review. The planning department otherwise reported no impacts to the public.

Richard Brzezinski, who identified himself as Paslin’s graphics marketing manager, told the board the company sought a large, full‑frame flex‑face sign to create brand awareness and to aid recruiting. “It’s just for branding and recruiting,” Brzezinski said. Brian Duque of Sinerama, the sign vendor, said the building’s deep setback and long frontage made a larger panel reasonable for visibility.

Several board members countered that the proposed artwork looked more like a roadside billboard than building identification. One board member said the installation would function as advertising, not directional signage, and called the design “a billboard” that was unnecessary for a long‑established business. Other members said the company’s situation appeared to be self‑imposed and did not meet the hardship standard for a variance.

Board discussion touched on alternatives: a smaller sign, a monument sign closer to the right of way, or a design that reduced empty space and emphasized larger text. The petitioners brought a reduced rendering to the meeting and indicated they would be willing to accept the smaller 432‑square‑foot version if the board requested it; the board nevertheless voted to deny the reduced request.

The variance denial means Paslin must either keep existing signage that complies with the ordinance or revise and reapply. The board did not set a date for any resubmission; members noted the company could return with a new application.