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Board approves sign setback and off‑premise advertising relief for 909/921 Islington; size variance approved with condition
Summary
The Portsmouth Board of Adjustment granted two variances for a multi‑tenant freestanding sign to be placed on 921 Islington Street to serve 909 Islington (setback and off‑premise allowance) and later approved a size variance (27 sq ft) with a stipulation that any additional freestanding sign on 921 must return for relief; votes were 6–1 (items 1 & 2) and 4–3 (item 3 with stipulation).
The Portsmouth Board of Adjustment on Jan. 21 considered a three‑part variance request for a multi‑tenant freestanding sign proposed to be installed on lot 172‑10 (921 Islington St.) to identify businesses at 909 Islington St.
Applicant Michael Liry of Chinberg Management and sign contractor Sundance on Signs said the sign’s two‑foot setback and 27‑square‑foot area are necessary to provide legible multi‑tenant identification for businesses set back from the street. Staff and board members questioned whether the sign area should be calculated against the lot where the sign physically sits (921) or the lot it serves (909); planning staff advised the board that freestanding signs are measured per the parcel on which they are installed and that wall signs are treated separately.
After discussion, the board took the three variance requests in two steps. By roll call the board granted variance 1 (two‑foot side‑yard setback where five feet is required) and variance 2 (allowing signage for a product/service not provided on the lot; an off‑premise sign) on a combined motion; the motion passed 6–1, with Robert Sullivan voting no.
The board then considered variance 3 (an increase to 27 sq ft where 20 sq ft is allowed). Board members weighing safety and legibility arguments in favor against concerns about over‑signing ultimately approved the third variance but attached a stipulation: any additional freestanding sign on lot 172‑10 (921 Islington St.) must return to the ZBA for relief. The final vote on the size variance with the stipulation was 4–3 (yes: Mr. Matson, Mr. Ray, Mr. N., Mr. Manel; no: Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Rossy, and the chair).
The board’s approvals include a note that the applicant must remove certain existing temporary signs and that future signage plans for 921 Islington will be considered separately should the property owner seek additional freestanding signs.
The board recorded the findings required by the sign ordinance and concluded the requested relief met the variance criteria given the parcel configuration, the narrow frontage of 909, and pedestrian safety improvements proposed as part of curb/sidewalk work.
The motions and roll‑call tallies were read into the record.
