Zionsville BZA grants sign-size variance for Goodwill at Northwest Technology Center

The Town of Zionsville Board of Zoning Appeals approved a development-standards variance to permit a 169.78-square-foot wall sign on the east facade of the Goodwill building at Northwest Technology Center.

Planning staff explained the lot is zoned LB while most adjacent parcels in the technology park are zoned I-1; surrounding buildings already have wall signage larger than the LB limit of 10 square feet, and one neighboring lot previously received a variance for 106 square feet. Staff concluded the request met the three variance criteria given the parcel's unusual zoning context and recommended approval.

Amy Newning, counsel for the petitioner, told the board the sign would help vehicular visibility and match the appearance of nearby tenants. "This project has been before the board a couple of times before and has received 2 variances from the development standards," Newning said. Bryce Clendening, Goodwill's project manager, explained that the sign size is calculated against the square footage of the building facade facing Zionsville Road, not a corporate standard.

After questions from board members about consistency across the subdivision and whether Goodwill followed a corporate formula for sign sizing, a motion to approve the variance was made and seconded. Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript show the motion passed with the voting members recorded as voting "Aye." The board conditioned approval on the findings in the staff report and the submitted site plans.

The variance is the final development-standard approval the project needed before the store can open, according to the petitioner's representative. Planning staff will proceed with permit issuance consistent with the approved site plan.