HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 04-24-23CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER
DEPARTMENT REPORT
MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023
(V) KAR and CNO Ground Sign Size Variance.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approval:
1. Docket No. PZ-2023-00033 V UDO Section 5.39(I)(3)(d) Maximum Sign Area: 45 sq. ft.
allowed, 75 sq. ft. requested. The site is located at 11299 Illinois St. It is zoned MC/Meridian Corridor.
Filed by Doug Staley Jr. of Staley Signs, Inc. on behalf of the owner, Karmel Property LLC.
General Info:
• The Petitioner proposes to modify the existing ground sign along Illinois St., to add the CNO Financial
Group tenant name to it.
• Prior sign variances approved for this site relate to a ground sign height variance and a ground sign location
variance (BZA Docket Nos. 19050009 V and 19050010 V.)
• Surrounding this site is The Bridges Office Block west of Illinois St., the future IMI Headquarters south of
111th St., Fidelity Plaza office complex to the north, and Liberty Fund to the east across Meridian St.
• The sign is located in an area that has a dry detention basin that is located lower than the grade of the street.
• Landscaping surrounds the sign base in the form of a bioswale with native plantings.
• The sign is up-lit with ground level mounted lighting. The sign letters will not be internally illuminated.
• There are also approved CNO wall signs – one for the east building elevation and one for the west building
elevation. Each sign has a total area of 299.78 sq. ft. and is mounted and lighted to match the specifications
for the existing KAR Global wall signage. By filing an ADLS Amendment application for this building to
change from a single tenant to a multi-tenant office building, the allowance for more signage was opened. A
sign package was also submitted with the ADLS Amendment, which was approved administratively. Please
see sign permits S-2022-00323 and S-2022-00324.
• Please see the Petitioner’s info packet for more detail on the variance request.
Variance Requested:
Sign Square Footage -
• A maximum sign area of 45 sq. ft. is allowed, and 75 sq. ft, is requested.
• This is an increase of 30 sq. ft., or a 67% change.
• KAR Global text is currently on the sign, and CNO Financial Group text, plus a logo, is proposed to be
added to the existing ground sign.
• Now that a second company is being added and the occupancy status of this building, it is changing from a
Single-Tenant to Multi-Tenant building. This Variance is simply there to allow them to keep the original sign
area under the multi-tenant status with a new sign, moving forward.
• The sign is situated on the site in a unique manner. The bioswale causes a dip in the ground in this area, that
goes below the grade of the street, parking lot, and entry drive.
Remaining Review Comments:
• The Petitioner addressed all planning/zoning review comments.
Final Comments:
• The sign area proposed is proportionate to the sign structure; it will not look out of scale.
• The Petitioner considered Planning Staff’s request to remove the logo from the proposed addition of square
footage for the ground sign, and we found out that the sign logo/design is part of the corporate identity and
has been used in that manner since 2019.
• The Planning Dept. supports the variance request.
Findings of Fact:
• Please refer to the Petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their BZA Info Packet.
Recommendation:
• The Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) recommends positive consideration of this variance request, and
with adoption of the Findings of Fact submitted by the Petitioner.