Brandon council approves variance for larger QuickStar sign at I‑90 Plaza

The Brandon City Council voted to grant QuickStar a variance to exceed local sign-size and height limits for a freestanding sign at the I‑90 Plaza, reversing a tied Planning and Zoning Commission decision during the council meeting.

The variance allows two signs totaling substantially more than the 200 square feet normally permitted for a single commercial lot in the GB (General Business) zone and raises one sign's height from the 30-foot maximum to 35 feet. Council members said the change is intended to improve visibility for the development near Interstate 90; opponents said the size requested — roughly 550–600 square feet for a single sign — was far larger than current standards and could set an unwelcome precedent.

Zach, the applicant and representative for QuickStar, told the council, "I'm really excited to open our second store in Brandon." He did not introduce new materials at the hearing; the council reviewed the packet and the record from the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) commission meeting.

Bridal Heidrick, a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission who spoke during the council hearing, described the regulatory work underway for the corridor: "We're working on allowing taller signage, especially to accommodate the parcels down in the I‑90 Plaza where they're down lower. However, we are sensitive to the residential districts." He added that the city is drafting an I‑90 corridor signage overlay that would allow taller signs within a set distance of the interstate while stepping down height closer to R‑zoned residential areas.

At the P&Z meeting the application failed to reach the two‑thirds threshold required to approve variances, producing a 3‑3 vote. Heidrick said his personal objection at P&Z was the scale of the largest sign: "My concern was that the one sign ... is almost three times larger than what we currently allow and what we are currently proposing for the I‑90 Plaza."

On the council floor a member moved to grant the appeal and reverse the P&Z decision; the motion was seconded and carried after a voice vote. The council did not record a roll‑call tally in the minutes supplied to the packet; the mayor announced the motion carried.

Council discussion weighed commercial benefits against precedent. One council member asked whether approving this request would automatically change allowances elsewhere; staff and other council members clarified that future variances would still be considered case‑by‑case and that a council variance for this site would not by itself rewrite the sign code.

The council and several speakers noted that P&Z is also considering changes to sign-area rules for lots with multiple frontages (to allow multiple signs where parcels face several streets). Heidrick said those changes are not finalized: "It's not finalized yet. We haven't submitted anything yet to you guys."

The approved variance applies to the QuickStar/QuickTrip site at I‑90 Plaza only; the council did not adopt an ordinance amending the city sign code during the meeting.