Lubbock residents urge Planning and Zoning to reject UDC amendment expanding garage wall signs

Lubbock residents and local professionals urged the Planning and Zoning Commission on June 5 to oppose a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Code that would increase allowable wall-sign area on multi‑story parking garages.

“Allowing a multi story building to have a larger sign area would be unfair to other businesses,” said Abel Hernandez, a city resident, speaking in opposition to Amendment Number 31 (identified in the packet as Section 39.03.023). He said the change would not promote orderly development.

The concern recurred across multiple public commenters. “The current UDC, as it stands, strikes a good balance with wall signs,” said Grace Rogers, a longtime resident. Rogers described the large banners on the Raider Park Garage along the Marcia Sharp Freeway as “distracting and dangerous” and said the garage’s banners had been the subject of past hearings and a time‑limited experiment.

Architect Steven (Stephen) Falk said the parking‑garage banners are not tenant wall signs as defined in the UDC and called them “billboards not allowed in that district.” “This is being done for 1 person, 1 owner, period,” Falk said, urging commissioners not to recommend adoption.

Other opponents emphasized aesthetics, traffic safety and precedent. “What they’re looking for to do here, it seems to me like, is what we’d call spot zoning,” said attorney Bernie Bass, who said the change would grant a special exception that appears to benefit a single structure and could conflict with the city’s Lubbock 2040 Comprehensive Plan goals to improve corridor aesthetics.

The garage owner’s representatives urged the commission to proceed. “We stand by the comments that we made that Planning and Zoning heard and attended and considered,” said Chris Nichols of the law firm Brady and Hamilton, who said the commission’s role is to recommend and that he expects the issue to go to City Council.

Speakers repeatedly cited specific authorities and facts during remarks. Abel Hernandez cited Texas Local Government Code Section 211.004 and named the code provision under consideration, while several commenters referenced the UDC section number shown in the meeting materials and past Zoning Board of Adjustment decisions affecting the Raider Park Garage.

Near the end of the meeting, the commission moved to postpone several pending items, including the UDC amendment listed as item 4.1, to the July meeting after the meeting was interrupted by a tornado warning and adjourned for safety. The motion to postpone was made and seconded and commissioners voiced approval; the chair said, “Motion is carried.”

The commission did not make a final recommendation on Amendment 31 at the June 5 meeting; the matter will next appear on the July docket for further consideration and formal action.