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Council pushes back on Columbia Southern University sign request, citing ordinance precedent; item tabled
Summary
Columbia Southern University asked to replace and enlarge its freestanding sign on the Foley/Beach Express; the proposed 25-foot sign and a larger LED face prompted council concerns about precedent after the city’s billboard elimination, and the council agreed to review ordinance exposure and revisit the request at the next reading.
Columbia Southern University asked the City of Orange Beach for an amendment to allow a larger freestanding sign on the Foley Beach Express. Planning staff and a university representative described the request: one face of the sign would exceed about 152 square feet, the total sign area would approach 304 square feet, the proposed height is 25 feet (versus the ordinance 15-foot limit), and a digital (LED) portion would be about 52 percent of the sign face versus the ordinance’s 50 percent allowance.
A university representative said the request is intended to increase visibility for the campus and hiring notices, describing the existing sign as dated and underpowered relative to the building’s presence on the expressway. “We just want to bring more awareness to the university,” the representative said.
Council members and the mayor expressed concern that approving an oversized sign would undermine the city’s recent effort to eliminate billboards and could create a precedent that prompts many similar requests. Mayor Kenan cautioned that approving the amendment “would bust our stance wide open” and urged careful legal review. Staff noted the university is on an access road rather than directly on the Foley Beach Express, and councilors asked staff to check the ordinance, setback impacts and legal exposure.
Because of the precedent risk and outstanding legal questions, the council agreed to table the amendment to the next reading to allow staff time to evaluate ordinance implications and potential zoning-based approaches (for example, considering a separate zone north of the bridge).
