Board approves variance allowing two oversized Casey's signs near K-254

The Board of Zoning Appeals voted to adopt the Zoning Administrator's findings and recommendations and granted a dimensional sign variance for case BZAV202601, allowing one 80-foot, 710-square-foot freestanding sign and a second 25-foot, 82-square-foot sign for a proposed Casey's store near Woodlawn and K-254. The motion to adopt staff findings passed by voice vote (recorded as 3–1).

Zoning Administrator Dustin Belton told the board the request rested on topography and sightline issues created by a Woodlawn/63rd overpass, citing base elevations of about 1,388 ft and 1,391 ft for the two sign locations and an overpass elevation near 1,413 ft. "The property is approximately 25 ft below the highest point on Woodlawn," Belton said, arguing that strict application of the 30-foot height limit would make on-premise signage difficult to see for high-speed traffic. The applicant's consultant, Jeff, said Casey's uses drone-based visibility studies to set sign heights and that "typically all of Casey's high-rise signs next to divided highways with on/off ramps are at least 80 ft tall" to provide drivers sufficient advance notice.

Board members discussed whether granting a variance for one site would invite similar requests along the corridor and whether spacing or corridor-specific rules could limit proliferation. The board adopted staff findings that the five variance criteria had been met and approved the variance; the transcript records the final voice tally as 3 yes, 1 no. The record does not show a roll-call of votes by individual member names.