Oxford BZA approves larger and additional signs for Walmart at College Corner Pike

At its September meeting the Oxford Board of Zoning Appeals approved two variances to allow larger directional signage and additional wall advertising signs at the Walmart store at 5720 College Corner Pike.

Planning staff presented the application as two separate but related variance requests under the Oxford zoning code. "This is case number BZA202502. This is at 5720 College Corner Pike. This is a request for 2 variances related to signage," said Zachary Moore, planning staff, during the presentation. Staff said the requests were for (1) directional/delivery pickup-stall signs that exceed the code's 2-square-foot limit and (2) an increase in the number of permitted wall/advertising signs beyond the two normally allowed for a single-tenant site (code sections cited: 11-51.05(c)(4) and 11-51.05(a)(3)(A)(1)).

Staff described the pickup signs proposed for the store as roughly 7.5 square feet each (staff referenced 7.88 square feet in the packet) and explained the proposal would relocate the existing pickup zone from the right-hand side to the garden-center side of the building. The applicant's plans showed 12 wall-mounted pickup signs along the building and 12 pole-mounted pickup signs in the parking bay — 24 pickup stalls in total — plus other wall signage changes tied to a store rebrand. Staff noted a prior BZA decision in 2017 had authorized similar larger directional signs (staff recollected six larger signs in that prior case) but that additional signs on site had been added administratively or later without the same approval, so a variance was needed for the current number and sizes.

Ben D'Arana, representing WD Partners and the applicant, told the board, "Walmart is proposing to update their entire brand standards package on the store," and described the directional-sign increase as a response to higher online ordering and curbside pickup demand since the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the pickup area relocation is intended to improve employee safety and customer wayfinding.

Staff reviewed the BZA decision criteria (A–G) and recommended approval for both variances. Staff found that the directional-sign size variance was supported by the property's scale and prior approvals and that the requested additional wall signs were not inconsistent with past board actions. Staff also flagged that Oxford's sign-area formula in the zoning code (2 square feet per linear foot of frontage) yields a very large theoretical total sign area and noted that the code may need legislative updates.

Board members asked staff and the applicant about the history of prior approvals and the existing nine pickup signs on the front of the store; staff said the record from earlier permits and a 2017 BZA case was imperfect and that some of the smaller signs had been added later. Discussion also touched on traffic and pedestrian safety around the proposed relocated pickup zone; the applicant said the store expects most pickup customers are already Walmart shoppers and does not anticipate a major new traffic increase from the program.

After closing the evidentiary portion the board deliberated in private and returned to public session. The board moved to "approve the variances as requested and adopt the staff report" and then voted on each variance. The roll-call votes recorded in the minutes were unanimous in favor for both variances (see action records). The board's approval adopts the staff report and allows the applicant to proceed with the proposed sign installations, subject to any required permits and the historic/administrative processes where applicable. The staff report and the BZA's decision indicate that some signs (for example, lit signage) remain subject to standard sign-permit review and that the variances run with the property.

The board did not receive written public comments from residents within the 200-foot notice radius, according to staff.

Looking ahead, staff and board members noted that the zoning code's sign-area standards may warrant a legislative review at the city council level to better account for modern retail practices such as curbside pickup.