Design review board denies special exception for Stone House blade sign installed below standard clearance

The Shorewood Design Review Board on Dec. 19 denied a request for a special exception that would have allowed a blade sign for Stone House Collective to remain mounted at about 7 feet above grade on North Oakland Avenue, below the code minimum clearance of 8 feet.

The petitioner installed a blade sign after relocating it from an approved patio location; the village’s building inspector said the new mounting did not match the approved placement. The Board of Appeals directed the matter to the Design Review Board for a special‑exception determination. Village staff told the DRB the sign otherwise met Shorewood sign regulations except for the minimum clearance requirement in the blade‑sign standard (code section 44523).

The building owner and a representative for Stone House Collective described the relocation as driven by lighting changes and pedestrian‑scale considerations. The owner said staff and design professionals installed new lighting fixtures and preferred the sign’s sightlines at the current height. The owner said the new configuration improved nighttime visibility and that the relocated sign had been in place without public complaint.

During deliberations, several board members said the sign’s size and materials were modest and that the sign fit the building’s facade and the immediate streetscape; others expressed concern about precedent if the board routinely granted exemptions to the 8‑foot standard. One board member suggested a preferred mounting centered on the bottom line of the transom (the horizontal element above storefronts) to align visually with existing storefront elements.

After discussion, a motion to deny the special exception carried. The board’s vote was announced as five in favor; staff recorded the denial. The board did not adopt a different condition (for example, requiring the sign to be raised to the transom line) during the hearing.

Shorewood’s sign code (section 44523) lists criteria the board may consider when granting a special exception, including whether the requested appearance is consistent with nearby signage, whether it causes hazard or obstruction, and whether it is compatible with the property and streetscape. At the hearing, village staff reminded members that a sign installed at or above the 8‑foot minimum in the proposed location would generally comply, and that the special‑exception request was limited to permitting a lower clearance.

The owner indicated frustration at the process and said the business had already invested in fixtures and façade work; the owner said they would comply with the board’s ruling and either relocate or re‑mount to meet code. The board closed the item and moved on to other business.

Next steps: the applicant may choose to remount the blade sign at the code-required minimum height, reapply for another permit in a different location, or pursue appeals as allowed by Shorewood procedures and state law.