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Zoning board allows six monument signs at Amazon warehouse but bars third sign on Northwestern Drive
Summary
The El Paso Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a variance allowing six monument signs at a new Amazon warehouse but adopted a condition limiting the number to two signs per frontage, effectively denying a requested third sign along Northwestern Drive amid traffic and visual-clutter concerns.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment on May 4 approved a variance allowing six monument signs for a 28.44-acre Amazon warehouse site but limited signage to no more than two monument signs per frontage, blocking the applicant’s request for a third sign on Northwestern Drive.
Andrew Bloom of the City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department summarized the request, citing El Paso City Code section 20.18.45A and explaining that while the property’s large size and multiple frontages supported an argument for an extra sign total, staff concluded a third sign on Northwestern Drive did not constitute an unnecessary hardship and recommended denying that portion of the request.
Why it matters: Board members split over safety and precedent. Supporters said additional wayfinding could reduce traffic conflicts for large commercial trucks entering the site; opponents warned that allowing a third monument sign on a minor arterial could create visual clutter and set an unwanted precedent for other large properties.
During the presentation, Bloom said the subject site is zoned M1 and is surrounded by three frontage roads. He told the board the applicant proposed signs 7 feet tall and about 42–48 square feet in area, sized below the maximum allowed by right on the arterial frontage. Bloom said staff recommended approval of a total of six signs for the site but recommended denial of the requested third sign along Northwestern Drive.
Collins Corbett of Anchor Sign, presenting for Amazon, told the board the installed monuments are 42 square feet and that the company provided multiple sign-size options to staff. "We're trying to be the best partners we can and come up with a solution that is approvable and amenable by all parties," Corbett said, explaining the two-pole design is intended to withstand strong west Texas winds.
Board members raised safety and traffic concerns and debated whether heavy truck traffic on the site constituted a hardship or a self-imposed condition tied to the property's intended industrial use. Elizabeth Thurman said she drove the site and worried a sign arrangement could cause drivers to slow unpredictably; Christine Lidge cautioned that hardship findings should not reward deliberate design choices by applicants.
After discussion and an initial failed motion, the board approved a motion that adopted staff’s recommendation: allow six monument signs on the premises but permit no more than two monument signs per frontage road, a condition that prevents placement of three monument signs along Northwestern Drive.
The board did not record a detailed roll-call tally for the final approved motion in the public record beyond the chair’s announcement that the motion passed. The board moved on to other agenda items immediately after the vote.
