BZA OKs halo-illumination variance for Beacon Bluff at 200 Georgia Avenue

The North Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals on May 6 approved a variance (ZV25-004) that allows halo-illuminated wall signage on a new mixed-use building at 200 Georgia Avenue. The board found in the affirmative on the 10 criteria required for a variance and voted unanimously to grant the request with one condition that any illuminated exterior wall signage use halo illumination and meet the North Augusta development codes square-footage requirements.

The applicant, represented at the meeting by Fletcher Dickard, said the 0.73-acre Gateway/Beacon Bluff site requires halo lighting so tenants and service providers can find the building at night. "Numerous of our tenants have hours of operation after dark and a softly light design is the only method for general public to identify the location at night," the applicants written statement said as read into the record. City planning staff acknowledged internal illumination is not generally allowed in the downtown mixed-use districts but noted the code permits externally illuminated signs and signs constructed with neon tubing.

Planning staff described the site as having four street frontages and noted nearby municipal and medical buildings limit visibility from some approaches. Tommy Paradise, speaking for city staff, said the applicants requested total area for internally illuminated wall signage is 31.93 square feet and that staff had verified the calculations supplied by the applicant.

Board members discussed alternatives and code limits at length. Several members agreed external illumination or neon tubing could be used, but the applicant argued neon tubing would produce more front-facing glare than halo illumination. The board's motion listed a single condition: "Any illuminated signage installed on exterior walls shall utilize halo illumination and meet square-footage requirements consistent with the North Augusta development code." The board also clarified the variance applies to the signage allowed by the development codes total area limits (the board referenced the codes 200-square-foot total-signage limit for the building).

After the vote, board members asked staff to pursue a text amendment: the board later moved to request that the Planning Commission consider allowing halo illumination in downtown mixed-use districts 1 and 2 to reduce the number of variance requests on similar projects.

The decision means the Beacon Bluff building may install halo-style backlit letters and logos where those signs meet the condition and the development codes square-footage limits. The variance does not change other sign-code provisions or district boundaries.

Details and next steps: staff will include the boards condition in permit approvals for signage at 200 Georgia Avenue, and the Planning Commission will be asked to review whether the downtown mixed-use code should be amended to specifically allow halo illumination.