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Board tables sign variance for Taco Bell site at 581 Central Ave amid neighborhood sight‑line and safety concerns
Summary
An application to install a 15‑foot post‑and‑panel sign at 581 Central Ave was tabled after extended discussion about sight lines, pedestrian safety near an adjacent school, illumination and character; staff and applicants cited business visibility needs and engineering mitigations; the board asked for additional traffic/engineering input and neighbor outreach.
The Albany City Board of Zoning Appeals on Dec. 3 tabled an application (Area Variance 2025‑17) that would have allowed a 15‑foot tall post‑and‑panel sign at 581 Central Ave — a request that exceeds the MUFC district’s 5‑foot detached sign height limit.
Sam Burton of Bowler Engineering and Mike McCracken, a representative for Hospitality Syracuse Inc., presented the proposal for the former Walgreens property, now occupied by a Taco Bell with a drive‑through. They said the building sits well back from Central Avenue and that a taller post sign is necessary for pass‑by visibility and to support a second tenant in the building: "We're looking to remove the existing ground sign... and secure variance for 10 feet above the allowed 5 feet for…
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