Commission rules Primrose School may measure sign area from wall with main entrance

The Beachwood Planning and Zoning Commission on March 20 determined that Primrose School's main-entrance wall may be used to calculate the school's permissible sign area, reversing an earlier building-commissioner measurement that had used the street-facing facade.

James Casay of ADA Architects told the commission the site has three signs (a monument sign and two wall signs) and that the zoning code allows frontage to be measured from either the wall facing the public street or the wall containing the main entrance. Casay said using the main-entrance wall, which is longer, would bring the proposed signage into compliance.

Planning staff and the building department briefed the commission. The building official noted the existing signs had been installed without required permits and without review by the Architectural Board of Review. Planning staff recommended the commission adopt the main-entrance wall as the frontage for sign-area calculations because the code permits that approach and the entrance is on the longer facade.

After brief comments and a recommendation from the law director on the appropriate motion language, Commissioner Bluedonald moved to approve P&Z item 2020 as submitted; Commissioner DeLong seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous vote, and staff was directed to advise the applicant to follow up with the building department on permit and ABR requirements.

The decision affects how much wall signage Primrose School may legally display and does not change any other zoning conditions for the site. Any required permits or ABR approvals remain necessary before sign installation.