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Planning board approves sign‑waiver for Genesis dealership at 213 South River Road
Summary
The Bedford Planning Board granted a performance‑zone sign waiver allowing larger wall and ground signage for the proposed Genesis of Manchester dealership at 213 South River Road after the applicant reduced sign dimensions and provided 3‑D renderings; the board removed a prior condition requiring a wider monument base.
The Bedford Planning Board on Nov. 17 approved a performance‑zone sign waiver for the proposed Genesis of Manchester dealership at 213 South River Road, permitting the applicant’s revised signage package after the board concluded the revisions met waiver criteria.
Applicant representative Michael Harvey told the board he had shortened and reduced multiple elements of the sign package after the Oct. 20 hearing, including shrinking the dealer‑name wall sign from 44.15 to 26.95 square feet and reducing the Genesis logo wall sign from 17.13 to 10.89 square feet. "The area of this freestanding sign minus the base is only 30.03 square feet as required by the performance zone ordinance," Harvey said while walking the board through 3‑D renderings and the proposed monument and directional sign locations.
Board members asked about visibility from South River Road, the height of letters (revised to 14 inches on the primary wall sign) and the monument’s setback; Harvey said the monument would sit well back from the curb (an estimated 25‑foot setback) and that nighttime illumination would run from one hour before dusk until one hour after close (currently 10 p.m.). Several members said the smaller proportions better matched the building and branding while still allowing customers to locate the dealership.
Priscilla Malcolm moved that the planning board grant waivers from Table 6 (Performance Zone sign standards) to allow up to 48.7 square feet of wall‑mounted signs and up to 30.03 square feet of ground signs in accordance with the applicant materials (last revised Oct. 7, 2025); the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The board struck an earlier staff condition related to widening the monument base before voting and incorporated the meeting minutes and findings of fact into the decision.
The approval is recorded in the board’s minutes; the decision was made by voice vote and individual roll‑call votes were not recorded in the transcript.
