Board of Adjustment

L Planning Department Board of Adjustment August 26, 2013 @ 5:00 p.m. The Board of Adjustment will hold its regular meeting on Monday, August 26, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AGENDA Welcome Visitors 1. Review and approve the minutes of the June 24, 2013, Regular Meeting 2. A Public Hearing requesting a variance to exceed the 200-square foot maximum facade sign area stipulated by Russellville Zoning Code 5.4.3 and 5.4.1. Submitted by Eddie Provence of Provence Signs on behalf of Ross Dress for Less for their store located in the Valley Park Centre located on Hwy 64/East Main Street. (BOA.13.08.3599)  BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MINUTES August 26, 2013 The Russellville Board of Adjustment met in its Regular Meeting, Monday, August 26, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present: Chairman Blake Tarpley, Secretary Aldona Standridge, Jimmy Sims, and Jim Davenport. Members Absent: Member Dusty Bonds Visitors/Officials Present: City Planner David Harris, City Inspector Brian Holstein, Jim Lynch/ City Corp, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Price McMillen, Eddie Provence/Provence Sign & Neon. WELCOME VISITORS The First Order of Business was to review and approve the minutes of the June 24, 2013, Regular Meeting Secretary Standridge moved to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Member Davenport and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was a Public Hearing requesting a variance to exceed the 200-square foot maximum facade sign area stipulated by Russellville Zoning Code 5.4.3 and 5.4.1. Submitted by Eddie Provence of Provence Signs on behalf of Ross Dress for Less for their store located in the Valley Park Centre located on Hwy 64/East Main Street. (BOA.13.08.3599) Planner Harris stated that the Zoning Code directs the Board to grant variances only in cases where the applicant demonstrates that there are circumstances or conditions which were unique to their property, and that literal application of the regulations would result in unnecessary hardship for the applicant. Planner Harris said he did not think the applicant had demonstrated either. In this case, applicant simply wants facade signs larger than the Code allows. In recent similar cases involving freestanding signs on nearby properties (Chick-fil-A and Diamond International), the Board granted no relief. Mr. Eddie Provence, the sign contractor speaking for the applicant, stated he was asking for a variance on behalf of Ross Dress for Less. They are asking for relief from the 200sf maximum allowed by the Code so that they can place three facade signs on the building. On the main facade, they wish to place the main ROSS sign, which comprises 196sf, as well as the Dress for Less sign containing 120sf. They also want to place an 81sf ROSS sign on the rear of the building for a total area of 397sf. Mr. Provence said this is the standard ROSS stores package that he has installed on many of their stores. Mr. Provence stated that the reason for the sign on the rear was to be visible from the Interstate and from nearby hotels. Planner Harris stated that there are four (4) stores in Valley Park Centre that are larger than the ROSS store and, to his knowledge, none of them were given any relief to allow signs larger than what is stipulated in the Zoning Code. Member Standridge said if we counted the ROSS sign area, but considered the Dress for Less as not a sign, but as a listing of services offered, it might work. Mr. Harris reminded Commissioners about the sign on the back of the building. Mr. Harris said there was an option he wanted to offer. As currently written, the Code allows 2sf of facade signage for every linear foot of building frontage, up to a maximum of 200sf. It has been suggested many times that this penalizes owners of larger buildings, and that the 2-for-1 formula should not have a maximum. Currently, a 500' wide building is limited to the same sign area as a 100' wide building. The ROSS building is 135' wide. If the Board were to approve 2-for-1 without the current Code maximum of 200sf, then ROSS would be allowed 270sf. This is less than requested but would offer the applicant some relief and would serve as direction for the City Planner when the sign code is amended, which should occur in the next 6-9 months. Chairman Tarpley asked for confirmation that the Planner's suggested relief would allow the applicant 270sf of facade signage. Mr. Harris said that is correct. Member Davenport said that the applicant should stay within the Zoning Code standard. Mr. Davenport stated that signage allowed by Code would be sufficient to be easily seen from East Main and that because of the width of the ROSS store their sign would not be 'lost' among the signage of adjoining businesses. Secretary Standridge made the motion that the applicant be allowed 2sf of facade signage for the 135 feet of linear building frontage for a total area of 270sf. The motion was seconded by Member Davenport and passed unanimously. Adjourned. _________________________ Chairman Blake Tarpley