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Planning board approves multiple storefront sign permits and pushes sign-ordinance reform
Summary
The board approved three sign-permit requests (Little Pirates Daycare, Le Paris Bakery, Koki Beauty Supply) with conditions and used the session to direct staff to pursue clearer calculations for the 30% signage cap and to coordinate a sign-ordinance rewrite and workshops in 2026.
The West Miami Planning and Zoning Board on Oct. 29 approved three separate sign permits along the H-3 commercial corridor and spent a significant portion of the meeting debating how the city's 30% signage allowance should be calculated.
Sign permit 2025-007 for Little Pirates Daycare (5790 SW H St) proposed a new PVC non-illuminated sign and vinyl door lettering. Staff calculated the submission at 24.67 sq ft, or 4.9% of the allowed 149.6 sq ft; the board approved the sign with conditions by roll call (4-1), asking the applicant to remove excessive window graphics while keeping the top sign, banner with phone number, hours on the door and an "open" sign.
Sign permit 2025-006 for Le Paris Bakery (6180 SW 8th St) was reviewed to bring existing storefront signage into compliance with City of West Miami site ordinance 2013-08 (section 22-5, amended from zoning ordinance 2 82). Board members objected to menu-like window graphics and recommended a narrower set of permitted elements: the top tile-wall sign, a banner reading the business name with a phone number, hours on the door and a small "open" indicator. The board tied approval to removal of other window advertising.
Koki Beauty Supply (sign permit 2025-012, 6230 SW 8th St) sought to cover six of ten glass panels with frosted backing and product images. After an extended design discussion and staff guidance about the 30% facade calculation, the board reached a compromise: allow only brand/name text (Koki, Tylon, Infinity) on windows 1, 2, 5 and 6, without graphics and without the frosted backing; the remaining window panels must remain clear. The motion passed 5-0.
Members used the Koki application as a springboard to debate whether the existing 30% cap should be applied to an entire building facade as a single rectangle or whether separate calculations by horizontal bands (awning, transom, window) would reduce visual clutter and produce fairer outcomes. Staff said an ordinance rewrite and workshops are planned for 2026 and suggested the boards coordinate with the city's art advisory board to clarify murals versus commercial signage.
Next steps: Staff will prepare language and hold workshops to revisit the sign ordinance in 2026; approved signs will proceed to permitting and code compliance steps where applicable.
Representative quotes from the meeting included staff noting that the daycare sign was "well below the 30% maximum permitting code" and a board member advising Koki to make the business name "front and center" and remove photographic product imagery.
