Henrietta Zoning Board approves multiple variances, denies rapid‑change LED interval

The Henrietta Zoning Board of Appeals approved a series of area variances at its January 2020 meeting — including a front‑porch expansion, building signage, a pylon sign for a new Dunk & Bright Furniture store and directional signage for T‑Mobile — and denied a request to permit an LED pylon sign to refresh every 15 seconds, saying the rapid change would be a potential traffic distraction.

The board opened the evening with routine housekeeping and roll call before taking up individual applications. Aaron Lehman, who identified himself as chairman, presided over public presentations, questioning and final votes.

Why it matters: several approvals alter commercial signage and property configurations along West Henrietta Road and nearby streets, affecting visibility for drivers and the look of shopping plazas. The board emphasized public‑safety considerations when weighing electronic signage frequency.

Front porch variance approved: The board approved an area variance for a front porch at 42 Campfire Road South after a neighbor, Manny Marcano, spoke in support. "I fully support the variance," Marcano said, arguing the porch would cover an old, treacherous concrete pad and improve safe access to the house. The board found the porch would not extend closer to the street or materially change neighborhood character and voted to approve the variance.

Sign variances for Jarvey Associates: Steven Vasile, representing Jarvey Associates and Comparion Insurance, described requests for two building signs on a multi‑tenant building along Jefferson Road. Vasile and online sign representative Brian Riley said the building is essentially fully occupied ("9, 10 tenants") and that the additional signs fit within the building's overall signage allowance. Board members questioned image centering and aesthetics but concluded the proposed signs were consistent with existing building signage and approved the variance.

Dunk & Bright pylon sign and LED timing dispute: Joe Bright, owner of Dunk & Bright Furniture, told the board his company plans to open at 3333 West Henrietta Road and sought variances including a large pylon sign with LED graphic panels. Bright said the LED panels at his Syracuse stores rotate more often and requested a 15‑second refresh interval to show multiple messages to drivers; he also said the LED displays would be static graphics rather than full motion video. "We're open to compromising on that," Bright said when the board pushed back.

Several board members raised safety concerns. One member described frequent changes as a "Vegas feel" and said rapidly changing signs could draw driver attention away from intersections. Another said the town's longstanding practice — a one‑hour minimum between changes — was intended to reduce distraction. After discussion, the board approved the Dunk & Bright variances for the pylon and other sign elements but denied the request to allow 15‑second LED changes; the board limited electronic refreshes to once per hour for that installation.

Garage and flood‑mitigation variance approved: Carl Herchman presented a request to relocate and raise a garage and driveway to road level after repeated basement flooding. He described prior drainage work (trench drains and sump pump) and said the project would fill low areas to prevent future flooding of a lower level used for storage. The board approved a side‑yard setback reduction (from 8 to 5 feet) to allow the reconfigured garage and driveway, finding the work would mitigate known flooding problems.

T‑Mobile directional signage approved: A representative for T‑Mobile explained the need for two building signs and additional directional parking signage for mobile pickup. The board found the requested directional signs were consistent with similar plazas and approved the variances, noting the requested additional square footage was modest in context (the board cited an increase of about 74.2 square feet across the applications).

Votes at a glance: - ZBA2025‑101 (42 Campfire Road South) — approved (front porch variance to cover existing pad and improve access). - ZBA2025‑102 (Jarvey Associates / Comparion Insurance) — approved (two building signs for multi‑tenant building). - ZBA2025‑103, 104, 105 (Dunk & Bright related sign elements) — approved (pylon sign and associated variances); ZBA2025‑106 (request to allow LED refresh every 15 seconds) — denied; LED refresh limited to once per hour. - ZBA2025‑107 (Carl Herchman garage/driveway setback) — approved (side‑yard setback reduced to permit garage relocation and flood mitigation). - ZBA2025‑108–113 (T‑Mobile building and directional signage) — approved.

What board members said: board members repeatedly cited traffic‑safety concerns when debating LED frequency. One board member said frequent changes gave a "Vegas feel" and could distract motorists; another supported the town's one‑hour standard as fitting the character of Henrietta's signage code. Bright said his company could accept a longer interval, suggesting two minutes as a compromise during the discussion before the board settled on one hour.

Next steps: The board's decisions become effective once written resolutions are distributed; successful applicants will receive follow‑up letters from the town and must obtain any required building permits. Bright said the Dunk & Bright store aims to open in April or May and will proceed with sign fabrication consistent with the board's timing limitation.

Note on meeting date and transcript: the transcript header reads "January 2020," while application numbers in the record include "2025" (these are application identifiers, not meeting dates). This article uses the meeting header date but notes the transcript's application identifiers to avoid confusion.