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Committee of the Whole leans against off-site tenant panels in US Bank sign variance
Summary
At the Committee of the Whole the village and planning staff reviewed a sign-variance petition by US Bank (175 N. Milwaukee Ave.) seeking a sign visible from Milwaukee Avenue and two tenant panels; staff/installer said the bank prefers panels for its tenants but could market to nearby properties if tenants decline. The committee reached consensus to limit any variance to the bank property and its tenants and asked staff to draft an ordinance reflecting that scope.
The Committee of the Whole on Feb. 3 heard from staff and representatives of Design Group Signage about a petition by US Bank for a new sign at 175 N. Milwaukee Ave. The bank seeks a sign visible from Milwaukee Avenue; because the building has multiple tenant spaces the request would require variances for multi-tenant signage and modest size/height increases.
Director Jennings said planning staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission discussed the petition at a January hearing. The core issue before the committee was whether the variance should also allow off-site tenants (for example, a neighboring hotel or a carpet store that uses the same driveway) to occupy panel space on the bank's sign. Staff's suggested language included that flexibility as a contingency if the bank's tenants declined their own panels.
Ken Busick, representing Design Group Signage, said the installer is not opposed to allowing other tenants on the sign but noted off-premise signage raises code questions. Busick said an option discussed at the planning meeting was adding address ranges to a panel so motorists can identify the general area for nearby businesses.
Trustees raised concerns that permitting off-site tenants could create a recurring demand for similar arrangements and complicate enforcement; a village attorney noted variances are typically one-off approvals based on specific facts. Several trustees said they preferred to limit the variance to 175 and its tenants only. Trustees also discussed landscaping and the appearance of blank panels; the committee generally favored a blue fill matching the sign border for vacant panels or allowing the bank to place temporary copy (such as "drive up") rather than leaving a white blank.
Director Jennings said he would draft an ordinance consistent with the committee's consensus (limit sign variance to 175 and its tenants, include recommended conditions) and bring it to a future meeting. There was no formal vote on the variance during the Committee of the Whole.
The discussion framed the issue as largely technical: visibility from Milwaukee Avenue, potential commercial impacts of off-site panels, and standard conditions (landscaping, size, panel appearance) the village would attach to a sign variance.
