Planning commission recommends conditioned approval for Chipotle sign, splits on larger Gateway Crossing sign package

The Jasper City Planning Commission on April 22 recommended approval of a sign variance for a proposed Chipotle at Gateway Crossing, requiring that total wall signage not exceed 200 square feet, and held extended debate over three larger sign variances requested for a separate Gateway Crossing restaurant site that sought more elevations and extra sign square footage.

The commission’s action matters because it balances the city’s existing sign code and hardship criteria with national retailers’ corporate branding packages, setting a local precedent for how the city will treat future sign requests along the Highway 515/Camp Road corridor.

Planning staff presented the Chipotle request as a variance to allow signage on three building elevations where the city’s sign ordinance currently allows two. Planner Sharon Stansell told the commission the property is about 0.9 acre, zoned C-2 (general commercial), with frontage on Camp Road and the center’s internal drives. Stansell said the three proposed Chipotle wall signs are each about 38 square feet and that “the total sign area of 114 square feet will still comply with our 200 square foot area limitation for the building signage.” She also advised the commission that the ordinance’s hardship criteria — used to justify variance relief — are not…