Planning board tables decision on proposed neon sign at 112 Broadway in Red Lodge

The Red Lodge Planning Board voted to table action June 24 on a design‑review application for a proposed neon sign at 112 Broadway after members raised concerns about the sign's scale, placement and potential impact on historic downtown signage.

The board opened a quasi‑judicial hearing on the sign, which staff said would be a triangular neon sign measuring roughly 7 feet tall by 2.5–4 feet wide (about 21.5 square feet). Planner Jeremy presented the staff report and recommended approval with conditions, including a required review of colors and materials by the Carbon County Historic Preservation Office before installation.

During public comment, a resident said the preservation office’s review was not included in the packet and urged the board not to approve the sign until that review was filed. Applicant Brian Taylor, representing Black Canyon Bistro, said he was seeking sign approval before purchase so fabrication (which can take months) could begin and said he favored keeping neon for aesthetic reasons.

Board discussion focused on three issues: whether a perpendicular sign that projects over the sidewalk would obstruct or detract from established historic signs (including the Roman Theater); whether the 7‑foot height and projection were proportionate to adjacent building facades; and whether permitting a perpendicular neon sign would set a precedent for more neon signage on Broadway. Several members suggested moving the sign to the south wall so it would be parallel with the street or making it flush above the door, as the board has required in prior cases.

Planner Jeremy and several members proposed a compromise: allow a perpendicular sign only if reduced in height to 5 feet and resubmitted to the zoning administrator for approval, and require the applicant to obtain the historic‑preservation correspondence before installation. The applicant said he preferred to keep neon but would work with the board on revisions.

A motion to table the application until the Carbon County Historic Preservation Officer reviews the design and the applicant submits two revised designs (one reduced to a 5‑foot height and an alternate placement facing the street) passed on a roll call: Roberts yes; Cupid no; Boise yes; Connelly yes; Di Benedetto yes. The board instructed staff and the applicant to aim to return the item to the July 8 meeting.

Next steps are procedural: the applicant may submit revised designs, the board asked for a preservation‑office report addressing historic context and color, and staff will update the packet before the board considers the item again.