Hammond BZA approves larger wall sign for Dollar Tree at Briar East plaza

The Hammond Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously Dec. 2 to grant a developmental variance allowing a 96-square-foot wall sign for a Dollar Tree tenant at Briar East Shopping Center, where the zoning code limits wall signs to 54 square feet.

Gary Potts of Professional Permits, representing the property owner and the Dollar Tree lessee, told the board the proposed sign matches the scale of other signage in the plaza and would maintain visual continuity with adjacent tenants. Potts said the perpendicular orientation of the sign also reduces legibility issues for motorists, making the larger size appropriate for the site.

City staff presented an updated tally of existing sign area and noted a prior, similar variance granted to an O’Reilly site immediately east of the subject property. Staff corrected a 2-square-foot error in their spreadsheet during the meeting and recommended the board grant the variance if it found the petitioner had met the required standards. The staff report included a one-page findings-of-fact document.

A board member moved to adopt the staff report as amended; the board then voted 5–0 to accept the findings of fact. The board subsequently voted 5–0 to approve the developmental variance allowing the sign larger than 54 square feet.

The decision is subject to any standard conditions included in the board’s findings; staff will implement and verify required permits and technical compliance as part of final review.