HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 07-22-13
CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER
DEPARTMENT REPORT
JULY 22, 2013
1.
(V) American Health Network – Signage.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approval for an additional sign:
Docket No. 13060005 V ZO Section 25.07.02-04 e. 9. c. Signs not placed symmetrically on building.
The site is located at 10689 Pennsylvania Street and is zoned B-6/Business within the West Homeplace Commercial
Corridor. Filed by Timothy E. Ochs of Ice Miller on behalf of the applicant, American Health Network.
General Info:
The Petitioner requests variance approval to install a second
sign on the west façade of the building. The placement of the
sign is what requires a variance because it is not symmetrical
Please refer to the
with the existing sign on the building.
petitioner’s information packet for more details.
Analysis:
The Sign Ordinance was recently updated to allow for more
flexibility and to increase wall signs on office buildings for
better identification for tenants within the buildings.
However, certain criteria were placed into the Sign Ordinance
to make sure the additional signs will complement any
existing signs on the buildings and be aesthetically pleasing
to the community overall. The wording of the Sign Ordinance
is as follows: “For Multi-Tenant, Multi-Level Office
buildings, Wall signs facing the same Street Frontage must be
placed symmetrically within the Spandrel Panel, i.e. one on
each end of the Façade. If a Wall sign is placed in the middle
of the Spandrel Panel, no other Wall sign may be placed on
that same Façade.” The proposed sign meets the Sign
Ordinance requirements for size and will match the existing sign on the building in regards to color, installation method,
and lighting style. The reason for the variance is because the name of the tenant is very long, and would end up not being
readable in the location opposite the existing Sandor sign. The building is located about 200’ away from Pennsylvania
Street and roughly 700’ from US 31. The letters would need to be reduced or stacked to fit the size requirements and
In this instance, the placement is acceptable to the Department and we are in support of this
would hinder visibility.
variance request
because the building is over 200’ long and there is ample space between this sign and the existing
Sandor sign.The Department would like to mention though that if the landowner were to come back to the BZA in the
rd
future for a 3 sign on this building, the Dept. would not be in support of that variance request. This variance request is
moving
essentially the allowed sign on the north tower to be placed in the center of the building. It does not open up the
space for a third sign to be installed on this façade in the future.
Petitioner’s Findings of Fact:
1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and general
welfare of the community because
: The sign is aesthetically pleasing and will not interfere with vehicular or
pedestrian traffic.
2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variances will not be affected in a
substantially adverse manner because
: Signage in this area is prevalent since the surrounding area is mainly
multi-story, multi-tenant office buildings, which will not have a substantially adverse impact on the adjacent
properties.
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:
If the requested signage is put on the north tower to mirror
the existing Sandor signage on the south tower, it would be too small to see.
Recommendationapproval13060005 V.
: The Dept. of Community Services recommends of Docket No.
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