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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept ReportCARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS DEPARTMENT REPORT March 23, 2009 1-3h. Firestone Michigan Rd. - Signage The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approval: Docket No. 09010003 V Ch. 25.07.02-08 b) Total number of signs Docket No. 09010004 V Ch. 25.07.02-08 c) Maximum sign area Docket No. 09010005 V Ch. 25.07.02-08 e) 2 signs not facing a ROW The site is located at 11055 N. Michigan Rd. It is zoned B-2Business, within the US 421 Overlay Zone. Filed by Steve Granner of Bose McKinney & Evans. General Info: The applicant is requesting approval for three wall signs. The signs will face north, west and south. Per the Sign Ordinance, only one sign facing west is permitted. Analysis: The proposed signs are identical. The copy states. Firestone Complete Auto Care. Firestone will be in red lettering and Complete Auto Care will be in blue lettering. The signs are 48.83 sq. ft. in area. 75 sq. ft. is allowed by the Sign Ordinance. The applicant is requesting 146.49 sq. ft. total. This is 71.49 sq. ft. over what the Sign Ordinance allows. Originally, the south elevation was proposed with a hip roof line. A sign was added to this elevation and it looked very out of place. We worked with the applicant to change this elevation to a gable, to match the north and west elevations. The sign now looks much better and the Department is more comfortable supporting a sign on this elevation. US 421- ;~ ~ ~' `` The Department's main concern is the number of signs proposed. r, , < ._ _ ~ x ~~_ The Sign Ordinance allows for one sign and we feel that is ,l ;~ ~ s` J ~~" ``~ sufficient. However, we understand that the applicant could have ~~~, ~ Weston Pointe Blvd. chosen a ground sign, which would give maximum exposure to +. +~, "r _, •'" both north and south bound traffic. We feel that since the applicant has chosen wall signs, which are well designed and in keeping with the architecture of the building, that we would be comfortable supporting two wall signs -one facing north and one facing south. This would serve the same purpose as having a ground sign. The wall sign on the west facade becomes less necessary if there are more visible wall signs that directly face the driver on the north and south elevations. Two signs would put the total square footage at 97.66, only 22.66 sq. ft. over the 75 allowed by the Sign Ordinance. This is in comparison to three signs, which would be 71.49 sq. ft. over the Sign Ordinance. Findings of Fact: Total Number of Signs 1. The approval of this variance will be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: three identification signs will put the applicant's request well over what the Sign Ordinance allows as far as number of signs and sign square footage. 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 additional sign will give the applicant more identification opportunities than other single tenant buildings with only one road frontage 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: there will be additional signage facing both north and south. The site will be well-identified and easy to locate. Fiudings of Fact: Maximum Sign Area 1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: the small increase in sign area will provide the necessary identification for the Firestone Service Center without any detrimental or adverse effect on the public health, safety, morals or general welfaze of the community. 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 increase in sign area is a small amount compared to the scale the sign size request has the potential to be. It is also not as much signage as is on some of its neighboring buildings because they are larger and are for multiple tenants. This is a single tenant and use building, therefore its signage needs aze less. 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: the increase in sign area is not permitted under the Ordinance; however, these signs aze critical to the identification of the Firestone Service Center to the traffic on US 421 to make the signs readable to the traffic traveling north and south on US 421, and to provide for adequate identification for the building. Findings of Fact: 2 Signs not facing a ROW 1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community because: the orientation of the wall signs will provide the necessary identification for the Firestone Service Center without any detrimental or adverse effect on the public health, safety, morals or general welfaze of the community. 2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be affected is a substantially adverse manner because: the orientation of the wall signs is consistent with wall signage on other single tenant buildings in the area and will not in any way affect the use or value of the adjacent area. 3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will result in practical difficulties is the use of the property because: the orientation of the wall signs is not permitted under the Ordinance; however, these signs aze critical to the identification of the Firestone Service Center to the traffic on US 421 to make the signs readable to the traffic traveling north and south on US 421, and to provide for adequate identification of the center. Recommendation: The Dept. of Cormnunity Services recommends negative consideration of Docket No. 09010003 V and positive consideration of Docket Nos. 09010004 - 5 V after all concerns have been addressed.