Board approves Trinity Lutheran Church sign variance after brief discussion

The Vermilion Board & Commissions approved variances on Feb. 24 allowing Trinity Lutheran Church to install a double-face ground sign that will sit closer to the public right-of-way than zoning allows.

Trisha Naiman, who identified herself as director of Electric Sign Company, represented the church and said the proposed sign would have interior-illuminated LED graphics on a brick base. Naiman told the board the property’s leading edge would sit about 37 feet from the curb and that the new sign would be smaller than the current, larger sign the church plans to remove.

Board members asked about sightlines and placement. One member noted a tree line on the eastbound approach that limits visibility until drivers are closer to the property. Naiman said she measured neighboring church sign setbacks and found comparable placements along the corridor.

Under the zoning code provisions read into the record, the minimum distance from the right-of-way is 20 feet; the applicant proposed 1 foot, requesting a 19-foot variance. The maximum allowed sign area is 65 square feet; the applicant proposed 80 square feet, requesting a 15-square-foot variance. After questions and a motion, the board voted to grant the variances.

The board’s action allows Trinity Lutheran Church to proceed with the sign as described; the applicant said the church plans to remove the existing larger sign and install the new double-faced sign in its place. The board did not attach additional conditions to the approval in the recorded discussion.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for March 24, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Vermillion Municipal Complex.