Commission grants sign variances for Oakland Community College; approves projecting sign refacing on Main Street

The Royal Oak Planning Commission granted multiple sign variances for Oakland Community College’s downtown campus and approved a separate refacing variance for an existing projecting sign at 1026 South Main.

Staff described three variance requests for Oakland Community College (739 South Washington): a projecting blade sign (sign A) that would require variances for area, height and projection (staff listed a proposed area of 124 square feet versus a 4‑square‑foot allowance for sign area A and a proposed height of 36.5 feet where 12 feet is allowed), a monument sign (sign D) slightly larger than the allowed 25 square feet (proposed 33.75 sq ft), and a wall/ parapet sign (sign E) with a proposed 267.67 square feet exceeding a 100‑sq‑ft limit and projecting above the roof line.

Bob Kelly, executive director of facility operations for Oakland Community College, and Paul Deters of Metro Signs and Lighting presented the application, saying the facility is a regional campus and culinary institute that requires distinctive wayfinding. Deters told the commission the signs were designed to be "tasteful and to fit to scale within the building" and argued wayfinding needs on Main Street justify larger signage.

Commissioners debated classification (parapet vs. roof line) and illumination control. Applicants said illuminated letters would be diffused by translucent faces and that channel‑letter lighting can be controlled; staff noted the downtown sign area standards are stricter than other zones but commissioners concluded the building’s scale and campus function support exceptions. Commissioner Jim Allison moved to approve the variances; the commission then conducted a roll‑call vote and granted the variances.

Separately, a convenience store at 1026 South Main asked to reface a projecting sign that is nonconforming in Sign Area 2. Olivia and Jacob Miller of ASI Signage said the refacing keeps the existing sign structure and visibility; they inspected fasteners and plan to update internal lighting to LED. Commissioners pressed for limits on brightness: the applicant said the new LEDs would be matched to current levels (the applicants noted a proposed LED specification of about 160 lumens per foot and a 7,100K color temperature, but said they would match existing illumination). Commissioners suggested dimmers or a permit condition to ensure the new sign would not be brighter than the current installation. The commission approved the refacing variance by voice vote.

Both approvals were accompanied by advisory comments from commissioners to monitor illumination and to ensure final installations comply with building‑division permits and the sign ordinance.