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Owner to withdraw sign application after El Paso HLC questions size and zoning limits
Summary
At a Historic Landmark Commission meeting, the applicant for 9816 Socorro Road asked the commission to reconsider a previously approved reduction in sign size. Staff and commissioners advised withdrawal to coordinate with zoning staff because municipal code limits monument signs in C-1 zones; the applicant agreed to withdraw and resubmit.
Jesus Dominguez, the applicant and a licensed Texas real estate broker, asked the City of El Paso Historic Landmark Commission on Jan. 1 to reconsider a previously approved reduction in the size of a freestanding sign for 9816 Socorro Road, a parcel on the edge of the Mission Trail Historic District.
The commission and staff pushed back on the proposed height and overall area, and staff said the sign would likely be denied under the municipal sign code even if the commission approved the design. Tony De La Cruz of the Planning and Inspections Department told the commission that "the sign area within the district and within this specific zone is limited to 30 square feet" and that "the maximum sign height for all commercial districts is limited to 6 feet," which, he said, the proposed sign exceeded. Commissioners discussed alternative orientations, shorter but wider designs, and the option of splitting tenant identification across multiple signs.
The applicant argued the proposed sign size was necessary for visibility for businesses and said the larger size would help Medicare patients and other customers find a doctor and other tenants. "I do need to be able for them to see where I'm at," Dominguez said, noting nearby larger signs and saying he had letters of intent from prospective tenants.
Staff and several commissioners emphasized that zoning limits, not just historic-district aesthetics, govern allowable sign dimensions in the C-1 zone. Staff recommended withdrawing the application so the applicant could coordinate with zoning and the Historic Preservation Office to produce a design that meets both the historic guidelines and the municipal code. The applicant agreed to withdraw and to return with revised drawings; no formal vote was taken.
The commission and staff also noted corridor context: commissioners referenced expected long-term TxDOT work on Socorro Road and said visibility concerns must be balanced with the Mission Trail's historic character.
No action was taken on the application at the meeting; the applicant will withdraw and prepare a revised application coordinated with zoning and historic preservation staff.
