Planning board approves illuminated wall sign for Ramco Insurance Agency with three conditions

The City of West Miami Planning and Zoning Board approved a sign permit for Ramco Insurance Agency at 1601 Southwest 60 Seventh Avenue on May 28, 2025, by a 4-0 vote, with three conditions imposed by the board.

The plans submitted show a 44-square-foot illuminated wall sign on the building’s northwest elevation; the ordinance limits usage of that elevation to 120 square feet, and the proposed sign represents 44 of the allowed 120 square feet. The board determined the sign size is within the zoning code and approved the permit with conditions: relocate any disconnect switch so it is not visible from the street, mount letters directly to the wall (no raceway), and require the property to return to the board for review before placing any additional signage on glass.

Jose Marcela, the applicant, represented the business and confirmed he had submitted electrical and structural plans and engineering calculations to the building department. Board members asked whether the electrical work and structural plans had or would receive building-department and electrical-inspector approval; the applicant said he had submitted those plans. Board members also confirmed the proposed letters would be individually mounted and flush to the wall and discussed adding an automatic photocell to control night illumination.

The motion to approve included the three conditions and passed with all four board members present voting yes: Eugenio Gonzalez, Alexander (Alex) Diaz, Diana Rio and Chairman Alberto Alonso. The board recorder directed the applicant to submit the approved plans to the building department for the next permitting steps.

The board clarified that any future signage applied to the storefront glass would require separate review and approval by the board. No fines, fees, or building-permit approvals were decided at the meeting; those remain part of the building-department permitting process.