Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Signage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Design commission backs larger museum signage, will recommend variance to Board of Adjustment
Summary
The Downtown Design Commission voted Nov. 20 to recommend approval of a museum’s proposed 653.55 sq ft of signage and to forward a variance request to the Board of Adjustment; staff said the design complements the building and the application meets downtown design district guidelines.
The Downtown Design Commission on Nov. 20 voted to approve a museum’s signage application and to recommend the Board of Adjustment grant a variance from the city’s new 400‑square‑foot per‑building sign limit.
Laura Griggs of the Planning Department told the commission the museum’s proposal would total 653.55 square feet of signage — 253.55 square feet above the ordinance maximum. Griggs said existing wall signage totals roughly 285 square feet, several signs will be relocated rather than simply added, and the proposed size, design and placement complement the building and setting. "Staff supports the application, contingent on the applicant obtaining a variance from the Board of Adjustment," Griggs said.
Commissioners questioned how the new sign code is applied; Griggs explained the code caps signage per building at 400 square feet or 5 percent of wall area, whichever is less for large facades. A commissioner said the aggregate amount proposed is acceptable given the scale of the building and the fact that, on a longer facade that would be multiple buildings, aggregate signage would often exceed 600 square feet.
An unnamed commissioner moved to approve the application on the basis that the project complies with downtown design district regulations cited in the staff report; the motion included recommending approval to the Board of Adjustment for the variance. Mariana Sarud seconded. Both motions passed; the item will go to the Board of Adjustment next month.
Votes at a glance - Approval of Oct. 16, 2025 minutes: motion passed (tally not specified in transcript). - Consent docket (one item): motion passed (tally not specified in transcript). - Signage application and recommendation to Board of Adjustment: motions passed (tally not specified in transcript).
The commission’s recommendation is advisory; the Board of Adjustment will consider the variance application at its next meeting. The transcript does not record a roll‑call vote for the signage motion or the exact vote counts.
