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Southborough ZBA approves wall sign above 20-foot limit at 154 Turnpike Road
Summary
The Southborough Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4–1 to grant a special permit allowing a wall sign to be placed above the zoning bylaw's 20-foot height limit at 154 Turnpike Road; board members split over illumination and design harmony with existing building signage.
The Southborough Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4–1 on May 21 to grant a special permit allowing a wall sign to be placed above the town's 20-foot height limit at 154 Turnpike Road.
The petition, filed by 154 Turnpike Road LLC and represented at the hearing by Shannon Boyd, a real estate permitting manager for Capital Group Properties, asked relief under Sections 174-9 and 174-11 of the Town of Southborough sign bylaw. Boyd said the requested sign is the only element that would exceed the 20-foot limit and that placing the sign lower on the building was not feasible because first-floor space is occupied: "It's not possible. And it's the only sign that we're asking to put above the 20 feet," Boyd said.
Board members who supported the application cited a demonstrated hardship tied to the building's design and second-floor tenancy. Paul (ZBA member) said he considered the situation a leasing hardship and supported the request to help fill office space. Doug (ZBA member) echoed that view and noted a prior tenant had a similarly placed sign. Chair Williams (ZBA chair) said he did not find the installed sign visually jarring and pointed to comparable signage across Route 9.
Doris (ZBA member) dissented on balance, saying the proposed sign "does not really blend in with the other signs on the building" and that illumination combined with height increased visibility beyond what she considered appropriate for the site. The Planning Board's memo, reviewed at the hearing, had been divided on whether the proposed sign met the bylaw's scale and design-in-harmony tests.
Board staff clarified that illumination of signs along Route 9 is allowed under the code; planning staff had recommended that future signs not be preapproved for tenants where the bylaw requires distinct review. Boyd said the applicant sought parameters that would allow similar signs without returning for separate special permits when the design and footprint remain the same.
After closing the public hearing, the ZBA member who moved approval said, "I make a motion to approve as drafted." The motion passed with four ayes and one nay (Doris).
The board's written decision will be prepared by staff and filed before the applicant's stated deadline. Boyd said the applicant expects the drafted decision to be filed on or before the June 4 filing deadline.
