Planning Commission opposes sign exception for Bottoms Bridge Tire, cites Commerce Corridor intent

An exception to the Commerce Corridor Overlay District signage standard was denied a favorable recommendation by the New Kent County Planning Commission on Oct. 20, 2025, after commissioners expressed concern about precedent and preserving the overlays design intent.

The commission voted to forward PC-20-25 to the Board of Supervisors with an unfavorable recommendation after debate (6-4 with one abstention). The request sought approval of an 85-square-foot freestanding sign at Bottoms Bridge Tire and Auto Care, which the applicant rebuilt after storm damage and augmented with a pole-mounted LED reader board. The Commerce Corridor Overlay limits individual-use signs outside shopping centers to 50 square feet.

"The original sign existed before the Commerce Corridor regulations were adopted and became legally nonconforming," said Patrick Silva, principal planner with the Department of Community Development. "The increase in area from 64 to 85 square feet -- not the digital reader board itself -- is what rendered the sign noncompliant. In staffs view the increased size could be appropriate given site visibility and the long driveway."

Applicant Jacob Yost, owner of Bottoms Bridge Tire and Auto Care, told commissioners he had bought the business in January 2024, expanded staff and revenue, and added the LED reader board to improve visibility for customers on Route 60. "The LED reader allows us to share important updates of safety messages... improving visibility and communication without altering the signs height, placement, or structure," Yost said.

Several commissioners said they were sympathetic to the businesss access and visibility problems but were reluctant to set a standard that would erode the overlays controls. "The increase in signage erodes the suggested requirements of the Commerce Corridor District," Commissioner Bennett said when moving for an unfavorable recommendation. Other commissioners raised concerns about consistency with the overlay and the potential for similar exceptions along Route 60.

Staff acknowledged enforcement and permitting questions. Silva said if a sign is rebuilt to the same area, a new permit is not required, but an increase in area should have triggered a permit submission. Staff also discussed options for better notification to property buyers about overlay boundaries, including sending informational notices with certificates of zoning.

What happens next: the commissions unfavorable recommendation will go to the Board of Supervisors, which has the final decision on the exception. If the Board does not grant the exception, the applicant could either remove the LED reader board to return the sign to the previous legal nonconforming size or pursue a variance through the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Votes at a glance: The motion to forward an unfavorable recommendation carried (Yes: Johnson, Dombrowski, LaRochelle, Dr. Schmidt, Bennett, Rose; No: Townsend, Thomas, Hathaway, Davis; Abstain: Moyer).