Council reverses Board of Adjustment, denies oversized Hilton Garden Inn wall sign

The City Council on Aug. 19 reversed a 2‑1 Board of Adjustment decision and denied a variance request that would have allowed the Hilton Garden Inn to install a 250.5‑square‑foot wall sign — roughly 56% larger than the maximum in the city sign code.

Community Development staff appealed the Board of Adjustment decision, arguing the variance did not meet the mandatory findings in the code, including proof of an unusual hardship or that a smaller sign would render the property unusable. Tamsen (Community Development Director) told council the variance would “weaken uniform enforcement” and could create a perception of favoritism if a single hotel received an exception.

The applicant, Brian Morgan of McKibben Hospitality (speaker 4), said the design followed Hilton brand standards, was proportionate to the building, and that he had exchanged texts with a former deputy building official he understood to be supportive. The applicant provided an estimate showing replacement costs would be high — about $192,000 to remove and replace stone and rewire the elevation — if the council required a smaller sign after fabrication. Senior planner Connor Ford (speaker 20) confirmed no permit had been issued and described the appeal process.

Several residents spoke against the variance, saying it would emphasize hotel presence in a community that values a residential character. After public comment, council members questioned whether the hotel demonstrated an unusual hardship or whether denial would deprive reasonable use of the property; council members concluded it would not.

Council voted 5‑0 to reverse the Board of Adjustment and deny the variance. The applicant was urged to follow the standard permitting process if a compliant sign is desired.

Next steps: The applicant may redesign and submit a sign permit that complies with the city code; staff will proceed with normal permitting and enforcement processes.