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Goshen College granted sign variances for campus wayfinding; board requires setback and visibility review
Summary
The BZA approved two non‑illuminated freestanding sign variances for Goshen College at 400 Reservoir Place, with staff-recommended conditions addressing setback, sight-distance and consistency with an existing campus sign program.
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved two sign variances requested by Goshen College for property at 400 Reservoir Place, allowing a 14‑square‑foot, 6‑foot‑high freestanding sign at the corner of Main Street and Riverrace Drive and a 7‑square‑foot, 8‑foot‑high freestanding sign along Riverrace Drive.
Planning staff said the property is large and unique — roughly 17 acres with nearly 2,000 feet of frontage — and that the proposed freestanding signs are modest in scale relative to the site. Consultants from Abbot Marsh and a college representative told the board they want signage consistent with a recent PUD amendment authorizing campus wayfinding and to improve branding and visitor wayfinding. The sign proposal included engineering review for driver sight distance; the consultants said they applied AASHTO sight‑distance standards and concluded the signs would not intrude into the intersection sight triangle.
Board members asked about proximity to the property line, potential utility easements in the right-of-way, and whether trees would need to be removed to make a more recessed sign visible. Consultants said they preferred a 1‑foot setback off the property line for visibility but indicated they could accommodate a 5‑foot setback if required; staff recommended a minimum 5‑foot setback and reviewed vision‑clearance/line‑of‑sight standards.
After discussion and the applicants’ confirmation they could adapt to a 5‑foot setback, a motion to approve the variances with staff conditions carried on a voice vote. The approval included the staff-recommended stipulations related to setback and sight-distance analysis.
