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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 03-23-09CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS DEPARTMENT REPORT March 23, 2009 5-lOh. Community Health Pavilion - Signage The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals Docket No. 09020006V 25.07.02-09 (b} Number of signs Docket No. 09020007V 25.07.02-09 (b) Two signs facing East ROW Docket No. 09020008V 25.07.01-03 Height of Directional Sign Docket No. 09020010V 25.07.01-03 Square footage of directional sign Docket No. 09020011V 25.07.02-09 (b) North elevation sign not facing ROW Docket No. 09020012V 25.07.02-09 (d) Height of ground sign The site is located at 11911 N. Meridian St. It is zoned B-6Business, within the US 31 Overlay Zone. Filed by Don Miller of A Sign By Design. General Info: Within the last 6 months, the Penn Medical Plaza was built immediately east of the Community Health Pavilion (the applicant). In an effort to make their building more visible, more signage is desired. The applicant is requesting approval for one wall sign that does not face a public right of way, a wall sign and a ground sign to face the same street, a larger and taller directional sign, and a taller ground entrance sign. Analysis: The applicant is requesting additional gn g The variance for two signs facing the east right of way is because a wall sign is proposed in addition to a new ground sign (there is an existing ground sign today). The wall sign will be 100..81 sq. ft. It will say "Community Health Pavilion" with a small logo. It will have white copy with a yellow logo. With a ground sign facing the same street, the Department feels that this wall sign is unnecessary for wayfmding purposes. signage for their building. It has two street frontages -Meridian and Pennsylvania. The total square footage allowed for this site is 223. This would include one wall sign, one ground sign, two directory signs and one directional sign. The proposed new square footage is 335.29. That is 112.29 sq. ft. over what is allowed. It includes three wall signs, one ground sign, two directory signs and one directional sign. The orange bars on the aerial photograph depict where the two new wall signs will go, the directory sign (on the far left) and the new/existing monument si (on the ri ht at the entrance). The new ground sign would be 8' tall and 60 sq. ft. The variance is for the height. Only 6 feet is allowed. It would say "Community Health Pavilion MedCheck" along with the address. It will be a silver sign with white, red and yellow coloring. The base would be 2' of red brick. The Department is concerned with the height of this sign. There are many other ground signs along Pennsylvania and they are within the 6' height requirement. There is an existing sign there today. Re-facing this sign would bring more attention to it and make it a bit brighter than the current sign. But raising the height is not necessary. We do not support the 8' height request. There is a wall sign proposed on the north elevation. It will say "Community MedCheck." This sign will replace the existing MedCheck sign that faces west towards Meridian. It will be 74.48 sq. ft. 75 sq. ft. would be allowed if it were facing a public right of way. The Department is in support of this sign. Drivers traveling south down Pennsylvania will be able to see this sign very well. That would also make up for the potential that drivers going south on Pennsylvania might not be able to clearly see the ground sign at the entrance because of parking spaces for the new Renaissance Hotel. The applicant is also proposing a directional sign to be placed on the NW edge of the property to let customers know there is an additional entrance on the south side of the building. It is proposed at 12 sq. fr. and 4' tall. The Department feels that 3 sq. ft. and 3' in height is plenty for a directional sign. If "Community Health Network" was removed from this sign, the applicant would most likely be able to get the height and size requirements within the Sign Ordinance standards. People who will see this sign will already know that they are at their destination. Repeating this information is unnecessary. The Department does not support the size or height request for this directional sign. There will be no changes on the south fagade except for the addition of a directory sign, This sign is permitted and is within the size requirements of the Sign Ordinance. Findings of Fact: Number of signs 1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: allowing an additional sign on the north fagade will help motorists traveling south to locate the building from further away, because it will be seen more easily at a distance. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the additional sign on the north would be similar to other buildings along the con•idor that have wall signs facing north and south in addition to a ground sign. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: without the additional sign, customers may have a more dif£cult time finding the site due to new site improvements from the Renaissance Hotel next door. Findings of Fact: Two Signs Facing East Right-of--Way 1. The approval of this variance will be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: even though there is a new building directly to the east of the applicant, there is still a ground sign at the entrance that will direct people to the building. An additional wall sign will not be seen as well as the ground sign will be and could potentially cause harm to the public health, safety and general welfare of the community. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will be affected in a substantially adverse mauuer because: the addition of signage could give the applicant more sign area than the other businesses in the area. The Department stands by the Sign Ordinance on how much signage is allowed and tries to keep all buildings/businesses on a level playing field. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoniug Ordinance to the property will .not result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: the applicant already has one ground sign facing east. They are not without identification onto the site. Findings of Fact: Height of Directional Sign 1. The approval of this variance will be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: the standard height for a directional sign is 3' tall. Any higher than this and it becomes an identification sign. A taller sign might be more of a distraction to motorists than helpful. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will be affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the current standard height for a directional sign is 3' tall. It would then be in non-conformance with other directional sign heights in the area. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will not result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: The applicant is attempting to use this sign as an identification sign. That is not the purpose of this type of sign. Once a customer is at the site, they will then see the small directional sign. It only tells customers that there is another entrance on the north or south side of the building. Findings of Fact: Square footage of Directional sign 1. The approval of this variance will be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: the maximum square footage allowed for directional signs is 3 sq. ft. This is just enough space to provide critical directional information for customers. Making it larger to function as an identification sign goes against the Sign Ordinance and the morals and general welfare of the community. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will be affected in a substantially adverse manner because: many other buildings businesses in the area would like to have larger directional signs. However, it is not needed because many of these sites are single sites with one main entrance. The applicant needs this sign because it has two buildings situated on this site. But it does not need to exceed the allowable square footage. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will not result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: The applicant is attempting to use this sign as an identification sign. That is not the purpose of this type of sign. Once a customer is at the site, they will then see the small directional sign. It only tells customers that there is another entrance on the north or south side of the building. Findings of Fact: North elevation sign not facing right-of--way 1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: allowing an additional sign on the north fagade will help motorists traveling south to locate the building from further away, because it will be seen easier at a distance. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the additional sign on the north would be similar to other buildings along the corridor that have wall signs facing north and south in addition to a ground sign.. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: without the additional sign, customers may have a more difficult time finding the site due to new site improvements from the Renaissance Hotel next door. Findings of Fact: Height of Ground Sign 1. The approval of this variance will be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: the additional height on the monument sign could give the applicant more visibility than the other businesses in the azea. Other Bound signs in the area are at the Sign Ordinance maximum of 6' tall. The Department stands by the Sign Ordinance on how tall signs can be and tries to keep all buildings businesses on a level playing field. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property iucluded in the variauce will be affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the cuttent ground sign is 6' tall. It would dismpt the flow and conformance of ground sign heights in the area. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will not result in practical difficulties in the use of the property because: the applicant can still update their current ground sign to the new design. The Department's non-support does not mean they cannot have a sign; it just needs to fit the height requirement of the Sign Ordinance. Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services recommends positive consideration of Docket Nos. 09020006 and 09020011 V. The Dept. of Community Services recommends negative consideration of Docket Nos. 09020007, 8, 10 and 12 V after all concerns have been addressed.