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Zoning board denies request for larger monument sign at North Main strip mall
Summary
The Bowling Green Zoning Board of Appeals voted not to approve a request to increase a monument sign to 72 square feet at 1072 North Main Street, citing concerns about precedent and the absence of a demonstrated practical difficulty.
The Bowling Green Zoning Board of Appeals rejected a request to enlarge a monument sign to 72 square feet for a strip mall at 1072 North Main Street, with the motion to approve failing on roll call.
Planning staff described the proposal as a 12-by-6-foot sign where only the advertising face counts toward the allowed area; staff confirmed the sign would be sited more than the 5-foot minimum setback from the right of way and that the required notices had been posted.
Applicant Patrick Shy said the plaza currently serves multiple tenants and that the larger sign would permit tenant panels to be visible to drivers. “We’re just trying to get a tenant sign there,” Shy said, adding that eight tenants need visibility.
Board members pressed the applicant on alternatives and suggested sign designers could likely reduce the face to the 64-square-foot code limit. One member warned that approving an 8-square-foot increase would erode the 64-square-foot standard and invite larger requests in the future. Other members said 8 extra square feet was a minimal increase and would help businesses.
A motion to approve the request as submitted was put to roll call and resulted in four no votes and two yes votes (Jeff Crawford and Tim Emmert); the chair declared the request not approved and noted appeal rights to the Wood County Court of Common Pleas.
Staff encouraged the applicant to consider redesign options that would comply with the code or return with clarified measurements and designs.
