HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 09-24-12General Info•
The Petitioner requests variance approvals for signage
for a new McDonald's restaurant. It will be rebuilt in
the exact same location/site as the current McDonald's
restaurant. Besides the new architecture and design of
the building, the main change will be the addition of a
second drive thru lane. Please see the petitioner's
information packet for more details.
Analysis:
The current McDonald's restaurant has one ground
sign, two wall signs, one menu board, and a few
directional signs. Three main identification signs are
allowed for this site because it faces three public
streets. In addition to these three signs, one menu board
sign is allowed and two directional signs are allowed.
This puts the total square footage allowed at 227 sq. ft.
for the site. This is very unique that a site would be
allowed this much signage for a single tenant.
The Petitioner will be taking full advantage of the
square footage allowed and will only be exceeding the
maximum by 23.33 sq. ft. The majority of the additional signage is in "directional" type signage that is required for the
operation of the restaurant, i.e. drive thru, order here, please have payment ready, pay here, etc. The other significant
addition and reason for overage is a second drive thru lane. This will require an additional menu board for the second lane
of traffic to see what the restaurant has to offer. The two menu boards proposed are both larger and taller than what the
Sign Ordinance allows. The height exceeds the 6' limit by 9 ". This additional height is required for the sign to function
properly as it has a turning mechanism for the different menus provided throughout the day. Along with the turning
mechanism, the height allows for a stone base to cover the power supply and support pole of the base of the sign. This is
preferred by the Department. The size variance is also needed because of the formatting of the menu and number of items
required by the restaurant to be displayed.
After the reconfiguration of Keystone Parkway with the new round -a -bout interchange /overpass, the direct access
entrance from Carmel Drive was eliminated. The Petitioner will be rearranging the site just a bit to reclaim that area which
used to be an entrance to Carmel Dr and to accommodate the additional drive thru lane. The building will be moving
south and west a bit, adding handicapped parking right in front of the building entrance. All of the parking spaces will be
restriped to be angled parking, to help with the flow of traffic throughout the site. The southern -most entrance off
Keystone Way will be moved to the south a bit and the Petitioner would like to have two directional signs placed there to
help customers know which entrance is preferred for the drive thru traffic.
CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
DEPARTMENT REPORT
SEPTEMBER 24, 2012
3 -9. (V) McDonald's — Signage.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals:
Docket No. 12080008 V
Ch. 25.07.02 -08 b) Number of signs (20 proposed, 6 allowed)
Docket No. 12080009 V
Ch. 25.07.05 Menu Board size (38.8 sq. ft. proposed, 16 sq. ft. allowed)
Docket No. 12080010 V
Ch. 25.07.05 Menu Board height (6' 9" proposed, 6' allowed)
Docket No. 12080011 V
Ch. 25.07.02 -08 c) Total square footage (250.33 s.f. proposed, 227 s.f. allowed)
Docket No. 12080012 V
Ch. 25.07.02 -08 b) Number of signs facing east ROW (10 proposed, 2 allowed)
Docket No. 12080013 V
Ch. 25.07.02 -08 b) Number of signs facing south ROW (4 proposed,1 allowed)
Docket No. 12080014 V
Ch. 25.07.02 -08 b) Number of signs facing west ROW (6 proposed, 3 allowed)
The site is located at 750 E. Carmel Drive. It is zoned B- 8/Business within the Keystone Parkway Overlay Zone.
Filed by Timothy E. Ochs of
Ice Miller on behalf of McDonald's Corporation.
General Info•
The Petitioner requests variance approvals for signage
for a new McDonald's restaurant. It will be rebuilt in
the exact same location/site as the current McDonald's
restaurant. Besides the new architecture and design of
the building, the main change will be the addition of a
second drive thru lane. Please see the petitioner's
information packet for more details.
Analysis:
The current McDonald's restaurant has one ground
sign, two wall signs, one menu board, and a few
directional signs. Three main identification signs are
allowed for this site because it faces three public
streets. In addition to these three signs, one menu board
sign is allowed and two directional signs are allowed.
This puts the total square footage allowed at 227 sq. ft.
for the site. This is very unique that a site would be
allowed this much signage for a single tenant.
The Petitioner will be taking full advantage of the
square footage allowed and will only be exceeding the
maximum by 23.33 sq. ft. The majority of the additional signage is in "directional" type signage that is required for the
operation of the restaurant, i.e. drive thru, order here, please have payment ready, pay here, etc. The other significant
addition and reason for overage is a second drive thru lane. This will require an additional menu board for the second lane
of traffic to see what the restaurant has to offer. The two menu boards proposed are both larger and taller than what the
Sign Ordinance allows. The height exceeds the 6' limit by 9 ". This additional height is required for the sign to function
properly as it has a turning mechanism for the different menus provided throughout the day. Along with the turning
mechanism, the height allows for a stone base to cover the power supply and support pole of the base of the sign. This is
preferred by the Department. The size variance is also needed because of the formatting of the menu and number of items
required by the restaurant to be displayed.
After the reconfiguration of Keystone Parkway with the new round -a -bout interchange /overpass, the direct access
entrance from Carmel Drive was eliminated. The Petitioner will be rearranging the site just a bit to reclaim that area which
used to be an entrance to Carmel Dr and to accommodate the additional drive thru lane. The building will be moving
south and west a bit, adding handicapped parking right in front of the building entrance. All of the parking spaces will be
restriped to be angled parking, to help with the flow of traffic throughout the site. The southern -most entrance off
Keystone Way will be moved to the south a bit and the Petitioner would like to have two directional signs placed there to
help customers know which entrance is preferred for the drive thru traffic.
The total number of signs proposed is 20. Six are allowed. There will be two McDonald's (full name) wall signs, three
"M" logo wall signs, one (existing) ground sign, two "welcome" awning signs over the entrances, two menu boards, one
preview menu board, two directional ground signs at one of the entrances (none at the other), two "drive thru" identifiers,
two "order here" identifiers, and three "payment" signs in the drive thru lane. 10 signs are proposed to face east. This
large number is mostly due to the number of signs for the drive thru identification and menus. Four signs are proposed to
face south. These consist of three identification signs and one incidental sign. The six signs proposed to face west include
one identification sign and five directional signs.
The Department is in support of these variances for signage because the proposed signs are modest in size and placement
on the building, do not take away from the architecture and fully support the use of the site.
Findings of Fact
1. The approval of these variances will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general
welfare of the community because: the variance will simply allow the continued operation of an existing
McDonald's restaurant. The use of the subject real estate will remain the same as what has existed for many years,
and is not injurious to the public health, safety, morals and general welfare 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 variance will simply allow the continued operation of an existing
McDonald's restaurant, which has existed for many years in this location. Continuing the same use will have no
substantial adverse impact on the use or value of the area adjacent, as the same use will remain intact. Moreover,
the surrounding area is commercial in nature; the development standards variances being requested will have no
impact on these adjacent commercial uses.
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: Vehicle and pedestrian traffic are not alerted to the uses and
traffic patterns of the building without the requested signage.
Recommendation:
After all comments and concerns have been addressed, the Dept. of Community Services recommends approval of
Docket No. 12080008 V through 12080014 V.
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