Navasota council denies O'Reilly pole-sign variance after safety and aesthetic debate

The Navasota City Council voted to deny a variance request that would have allowed O'Reilly Auto Parts to install a 20-foot freeway pole sign at 700 North LaSalle.

The decision came after a public hearing that drew business representatives, nearby property owners and residents. The variance would have allowed a freestanding pole sign larger than the city’s current six-foot limit for ground signs; planners calculated the proposed sign face—including a reader-board marquee—would total about 107 square feet.

The variance request was introduced by Lupe Diosado, the city’s development services director, who described the request and noted O’Reilly’s move down the street and a proposed sign location mid-block. Priscilla Davidson of Extreme Signs, representing O’Reilly, said the new site’s setback from the road and nearby structures limit visibility and that a smaller, six-foot monument sign would “create a safety hazard” by making abrupt lane changes or missed turns more likely. Davidson noted the existing O’Reilly sign is 23 feet, 8 inches tall and said the company was actually proposing a shorter pole sign than that existing structure.

Jeff Gibson, speaking for O’Reilly, also emphasized safety and business continuity, saying the store’s move represented a reinvestment in Navasota and could add employees. He suggested a tall pole sign without a reader board as a compromise if the council wanted reductions.

Opponents urged the council to preserve the uniform streetscape established by the city’s recent sign ordinance. Dr. John Walla, a North LaSalle business owner and vice chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, recommended a monument-style sign integrated into the parking area rather than a pole sign. Several residents and a Planning and Zoning representative noted that earlier pole signs in the corridor are likely grandfathered in and were installed under older rules, but that the new ordinance intentionally favors lower-profile, consistent signage downtown.

Council discussion referenced the existing ordinance’s intent to limit freestanding pole signs and the desire to maintain visual coherence along Business 6. After the public comment period, Councilmember Yesner moved to deny the variance; Councilmember Fulstad seconded the motion. The council voice vote was in favor of denial and the motion carried.

Background and details: staff said the ordinance currently limits new ground signs to six feet in height; proponents argued that brand and trademark standards limit how small an O’Reilly sign can be while still meeting proportion guidelines. Proponents also pointed to comparable signs in the area—Dollar General Market (18 feet), Carol's Giant Burger (16 feet) and Vanguard Motel (14 feet, 9 inches)—but Planning and Zoning members said those are older, grandfathered structures.

Council did not specify additional follow-up or conditions in the motion. The denial means O’Reilly must either revise its signage plan to meet the city’s current sign standards (for example, a monument sign) or return with a different variance request.

Votes at a glance: motion to deny variance moved by Mr. Yesner and seconded by Mr. Fulstad; council voiced approval and the denial carried.