Bellaire Board of Adjustment allows sign to remain near property line but denies taller height for Houston Dentist

The Bellaire Board of Adjustment on April 17 granted a variance to let the monument sign for Houston Dentist remain within 2 feet of the property line at 4914 Bissonnet Street, but denied the applicant's request to exceed the city's 8-foot maximum sign height by 1 foot. The board required that the replacement sign be constructed within six months of the approval.

The decision implements a split ruling after testimony from the applicant, staff and nearby residents. Greg Hollenberg, president of Meridian Signs LLC and the applicant's representative, told the board the existing monument sign was destroyed in a May 2024 storm and that the applicant sought to replace it "in the exact same location" with a sign 9 feet tall and roughly 9 inches from the property line. City staff said the original sign had been permitted in 2011 but that the current city ordinance limits monument sign height to 8 feet and setback to the greater of 2 feet from the property line or 6 feet from the edge of the street.

The nut graf: the board found that replacing the sign in its prior location raised setback issues that could be addressed with a variance, but it did not find sufficient justification to grant the requested height variance. The board tied its ruling to the municipal variance standards, including that the property’s unusual configuration and the sign’s prior existence supported a setback variance, while limiting the height to the current code.

In discussion, Hollenberg emphasized visibility concerns, saying the 9-foot height was necessary for motorists to see the business from Bissonnet and that the proposed replacement would use internal LED illumination that limits light spill. "This is a sign that's replacing an existing sign," Hollenberg said, adding the previous sign "was installed about 15 years ago" and "was in compliance with the city at that time." Staff presentation by Monica Alejos, development review coordinator, noted the sign was damaged by a derecho in May 2024 and summarized the code sections the board must apply. "Staff does not object to the variance request being that the sign was damaged by natural disaster," Alejos said, "so long as the board finds the request to meet the standards set forth in section 24-704." The board’s legal requirement for approval is 75 percent of the board (six affirmative votes), per Texas Local Government Code section 211.009(c).

Several nearby residents said they were concerned about lighting and enforcement of sign and exterior lighting rules along Bissonnet. Resident Britt Larka told the board that exterior lighting from nearby businesses already affects family members with sensory issues and asked the city to enforce lighting regulations. "I am so pissed... these LEDs shining into my back bedroom" Larka said, describing steps she has taken to reduce interior light. Another nearby resident, SueJean White, urged the board to follow the ordinance and questioned whether granting the variance would undermine the code.

Board members pressed the applicant on alternatives, including trimming the lower portion of the sign to meet the 8-foot limit, reconfiguring tenant name placement and adjusting the setback placement in relation to existing concrete pads and bollards. The applicant said structural and engineering work had been started and that the new installation would use current wind-load standards and steel posts set into concrete foundations.

After deliberation the board handled the two requested variances separately in effect: the board granted the setback variance (allowing placement within 2 feet of the property line) and denied the height variance (requiring compliance with the 8-foot maximum). The motion carried and the board added a six-month timeline for completion of construction.

The board's action applies only to this permit request and does not automatically change other signs in the area or the overall sign ordinance. Monica Alejos noted the city's permitting records show the prior permit had been issued but that older paper records from before 2012 are incomplete. The applicant may proceed with a sign that meets the city's height limit or, if it returns with a revised proposal, request a future variance for height after addressing concerns raised at the hearing.

The Board of Adjustment’s ruling resolved the docket item for the Houston Dentist monument sign at 4914 Bissonnet Street; other agenda items, minutes approval and routine reports were handled earlier in the meeting.