Flagstaff board approves larger Burlington Coat Factory sign, ties size to submitted drawings

The Flagstaff Board of Adjustment on Jan. 7 approved a variance letting Burlington Coat Factory install larger wall signage at 1514 South Bridal Branch Road in the Varsity Shopping Center, accepting a city-measured maximum of 216 square feet tied to drawings dated Jan. 5, 2026.

Tiffany Antal, zoning code manager for Flagstaff City, told the board that the city's sign standards generally limit wall signage based on storefront frontage and that many long-standing tenants in the shopping center have larger signs that predate current rules. Antal said staff could acknowledge special circumstances related to the tenant’s location inside the center but remained concerned the applicant’s original request would amount to a ‘‘special privilege.’’ She also asked the motion to reference the city’s measurement method: "I would just add that the maximum the total square footage not exceed 216 square feet just since that's how we measure our sign," Antal said.

The variance request, filed as PZ-2500241 by Blair Sign (the applicant) on behalf of Burlington Coat Factory, originally sought up to 366 square feet where the zoning code permits 86 square feet for that storefront. The applicant proposed several reductions during the hearing; a representative said, "I think we've got it down to 214 square feet," and also stated that removing "dead space" from the logo drawing would bring the measured area down to about 137 square feet.

Board members questioned whether approving a larger sign for this tenant could set a precedent for neighboring tenants such as Bookman's, Michaels or Sprouts to seek similar variances. Antal described options that can be used for entire shopping centers, such as comprehensive sign programs, and clarified that pedestrian wayfinding signage visible only inside the center is not counted toward the overall wall-sign total.

After discussion, an unidentified board member moved to approve the applicant's updated proposal and to reference the submitted drawings; a second was given and the motion passed. The board's action ties the approved maximum to the city's measurement standard and the drawings submitted Jan. 5, 2026. The board also approved prior meeting minutes during the session and then adjourned.

Votes at a glance: motion to approve variance PZ-2500241 — approved; motion to approve Oct. 1, 2025 minutes — approved.

Next steps: approvals are reflected in the meeting record; no additional public hearing dates were announced at the meeting.