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Council tables 30-foot, two-sided Mill property sign variance; asks for detailed rendering and beautification plan
Summary
A proposed two-sided, 30-foot freestanding sign totaling roughly 180 square feet for the Mill property prompted council concern about aesthetics and gateway impact; council voted to table the variance request and granted a 60-day extension to allow the applicant to provide detailed renderings and landscaping/beautification plans.
The council tabled a request for a variance to allow a two-sided, 30-foot freestanding sign of roughly 180 square feet at the Mill property (I-1 Light Industrial District) and extended the administrative review period by 60 days to avoid automatic approval under state timelines.
Staff described the request as a variance from the 100-square-foot maximum in the Industrial zone driven by the applicant’s desire to identify multiple tenants on a single sign; the property is described in the comp plan as Business Flex, which would allow larger signs if rezoned. The applicant said the sign would list tenant names and include an electronic message board intended to display community events; staff recommended limiting electronic changes to once every 10 seconds to minimize distraction.
Council members and department directors raised aesthetic concerns given the site’s role as a gateway to historic downtown; several members asked for a photo-overlay or rendering showing the sign’s appearance from Main Street and for a landscaping or architectural treatment at the sign base so it would not appear as “two poles in the air.” The sign proponents said they plan to add a decorative element and could return with a detailed plan; council agreed to table and extend the review period by 60 days so the applicant can return with a more detailed visual plan.
The motion to table and extend the review period carried by voice vote.
