Cherokee County zoning board approves series of signage and variance requests

The Cherokee County Zoning Board of Appeals approved a string of signage and related variances Tuesday evening, granting exceptions for several commercial and institutional signs and updating the county calendar to align public‑notice timing with state law.

The board voted unanimously to approve variances for a proposed Chick‑fil‑A at 1130 Highway 92 that would allow additional and larger wall signs and an internally lit cabinet sign, accepting staff’s finding that the site’s multiple frontages and road geometry justify additional wayfinding signs. "The applicant states that the property has multiple roadways and multiple entries to the lot, thereby creating the need for customers to be able to locate the destination from all vantage points," staff said during the presentation.

At Calvary Baptist Church’s hearing, Kim Wakefield, speaking for the applicant, said the 2012–13 rerouting of Hightower Road pushed the sign far back from traffic, which reduces visibility and prompted the church’s request for a 73‑square‑foot monument sign with an electronic message board. "With the rerouting, they went from, like, I think 35 feet to over 100 feet back. You can't really see the sign. That's why we're asking for a larger sign and an electronic message," Wakefield said. Neighbor William Raybeck opposed the request, warning of driver distraction and precedent if one church is allowed a much larger electronic sign: "The electronic sign, of course, can be used to project several different images on a rotating basis distracting drivers as they come to that." After discussion of distance from the road and copy‑area calculations, the board approved the variances, 5–0.

A Take 5 oil‑change franchise on Highway 92 at Bells Ferry sought variances to allow internally lit wall signage and two wall signs on one face. An agent for Signs Unlimited said internal illumination "makes messaging clear for nighttime traffic," and noted other nearby properties use illuminated signage. The board approved the request 5–0; staff and members discussed a previously grandfathered pylon sign that a contractor removed during construction.

Board members discussed brand‑wide sign standards, sightlines and proximate commercial signage patterns while frequently citing tabled copy‑area limits in Article 11 of the zoning ordinance. The board also voted to revise the county posting/calendar language so the public‑notice posting window follows state law (15–45 days), a change staff said reflects a state statute amendment earlier this year.

Votes at a glance: - Case 2509055V (Chick‑fil‑A signage): Approved, motion passed 5–0. - Case 2511061V (Calvary Baptist electronic monument sign): Approved, motion passed 5–0. - Case 2051165 / Russell Armstrong (Take 5 internal wall signs and height variances): Approved, motion passed 5–0. - Calendar/county posting rule update to align with state law (15–45 day posting window): Approved, motion passed 5–0.

The board’s approvals cite sections of the Cherokee County zoning ordinance (including Article 11 and overlay district design guidelines) and remain subject to standard permitting and any building or right‑of‑way requirements. Several approvals included staff clarifications about copy‑area computation and how display areas are measured.

The board completed the sign‑related agenda items and moved on to other variance requests during the remainder of the meeting.