Southborough ZBA approves oversized wall sign for 144 Turnpike Road

The Southborough Zoning Board of Appeals on Oct. 15 granted a special permit to 144 Turnpike Road LLC to install a wall sign that exceeds the local height requirement.

The permit was requested by Shannon Boyce, who identified herself as "the permanent manager for Capital Group Properties, which is the managing agent for 144 Turnpike Road LLC," and said the proposed sign is for the tenant Kenny & Sams. Boyce told the board the top of the sign would be 39 feet 5 inches above grade and would not exceed the roof line of the building.

The application packet included a Planning Board memorandum noting the Planning Board voted 4–0 (one member absent) in favor of the request with two recommendations: that the sign remain associated with the property owner (i.e., not automatically transfer in a way the Planning Board expects to require additional review) and that lighting be turned off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. ZBA members discussed placement options shown in the packet and agreed the primary issue was height. Board staff confirmed the application requests relief under sections 174-9, 174-11(d) and 174-11(e) of the Town of Southborough zoning bylaw.

With no members of the public requesting to speak, the ZBA first voted to close the public hearing, then voted to grant the relief as requested. Both motions passed unanimously. The board noted the decision will be issued within two weeks and that a 20-day appeal period begins once the decision is filed with the town clerk.

The board did not attach additional conditions beyond the standard filing and appeal timeline; members indicated they saw this as comparable to past approvals for similar signs on Route 9.

The permit allows a single wall sign for the Kenny & Sams tenancy at the stated height and footprint; any change that would alter the approved height or footprint would require further review by the ZBA or other applicable town boards.