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Gaithersburg commission OKs year-long temporary banner for downtown office building
Summary
The Gaithersburg Planning Commission unanimously granted a major sign waiver to allow a 4-by-30-foot leasing banner at 6 Montgomery Village Ave to remain up to one year, citing visibility constraints and the building’s height; staff required removal by Nov. 19, 2026.
The Gaithersburg Planning Commission on Nov. 19 unanimously approved a major sign waiver (SIGN-36484-2025) to permit a 4-by-30-foot leasing banner at 6 Montgomery Village Avenue to remain longer than the code’s standard 90-day limit.
Staff member Jasmine introduced the application under section 24-8.7 of the city zoning ordinance and recommended approval with one condition. Mariela, the applicant’s marketing coordinator from Avison Young, told the commission the building sits far from the road and behind mature trees, making smaller temporary banners unreadable to passing drivers. "The banner we're proposing is the minimum size needed to make the message legible from the public right of way," she said, adding the design is a simple black-and-white layout that "doesn't block any sight lines" and will not distract traffic.
An applicant representative told the commission the property is about 50% occupied and the owner hopes the sign will help reach 90–100% occupancy within about a year under the current leasing agreement. Commissioners and staff discussed code limits; Jasmine said the code allows temporary building banners of up to 48 square feet for 90 days within a 12-month period. Staff's recommended condition requires the applicant to remove the banner no later than one year after the commission's approval date (no later than Nov. 19, 2026).
Commissioners who spoke described the banner as "tasteful" and appropriate to the scale of a six‑story building, noting higher roadway speeds at the intersection make larger, legible signage more practical than a smaller banner at eye level. After discussion, a commissioner moved to grant the major waiver, the motion was seconded, and the commission voted to approve it unanimously.
The waiver allows the temporary marketing banner to remain under the single condition recorded by staff; the applicant may apply later for any extension consistent with city procedures. The commission moved to the next agenda item after the approval.
