Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Signage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Free Indeed Fellowship seeks digital-sign variance; staff says proposed digital face exceeds 50% ordinance limit
Summary
Free Indeed Fellowship asked the commission for an alternative site plan and variances for a digital sign at 825 S. Water Ave; staff said the proposed digital face would exceed the 50% limit and the sign sits within the 250-foot buffer to nearby residences, so the applicant will either reduce digital area or pursue formal variances.
Free Indeed Fellowship Church presented a request for an alternative sign-site plan to install a new digital sign at its South Water Avenue property.
Planning staff explained two ordinance-based issues: a digital sign may not be within 250 feet of the nearest residence, and no more than 50 percent of the sign-face area may be digital. Sign-area calculations consider the sign's active face rather than the brick base, and staff said the proposal as drawn would exceed the 50 percent digital-face limit.
Pastor James Mallard told the commission the church's logo portion is not part of the digital face and argued that, as designed, the sign would be under the 50 percent threshold. Lance Snyder, the sign designer, asked staff for guidance on how the face area is measured and whether including identification information in the brick base affects the calculation. Staff recommended the applicant either adjust the sign so it complies with ordinance or pursue a formal variance before the planning commission.
No decision was reached; staff said applicants should coordinate with sign permitting staff (pre-application not required) to determine whether a permit can be issued without a formal commission variance, and the planning commission will review an alternative or a variance request in a future meeting if necessary.
