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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7069-B Staff AnalysisJULY 30, 2012 ITEM Nth - 2 File No.: Z -7069-B Owner: Arkansas Bolt Company Applicant: Melanie Gibson, Colliers International Address: 8500 W. Markham Street Description: North side of W. Markham Street, approximately 300 feet west of Rodney Parham Road Zoned: O-3 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the sign provisions of Section 36-553 to allow additions to two (2) existing ground signs with increased area. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Office Proposed Use of Property: Office STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: The proposed sign addition along Rodney Parham Road restricts sight distance for cars pulling out of the driveway onto Rodney Parham Road. The new proposed sign addition shall be moved back at least one foot off of Rodney Parham Road from the proposed location. If you have any questions, contact the City's traffic Engineer, Nat Banihatti at 379-1818. B. Staff Analysis: A multi -story office building and associated paved parking areas are located on the 0-3 zoned property at 8500 West Markham Street. The property has two (2) street frontages, West Markham Street and Rodney Parham Road. There is one (1) existing ground -mounted sign along each street frontage. On July 30, 2001, the Board of Adjustment approved variances for both of the existing ground -mounted signs for Simmons Bank. The sign along West Markham Street was approved with a maximum height of 17.5 feet and a maximum area of approximately 70 square feet. The sign along Rodney Parham Road was approved for a maximum height of 16 feet and area of 64 square feet. JULY 30, 2012 ITEM NO.: 2 {CON'T. The applicant proposes to add a four (4) foot by eight (8) foot (32 square feet) panel to each of the existing ground signs. The additional panel will be located below the time/temperature box on the W. Markham Street sign and below the smaller Simmons Bank panel along the Rodney Parham Road frontage. The new panels will allow signage for tenants within the office building. The additional signage will bring the sign area to 102 square feet for the sign along W. Markham Street and 96 square feet for the Rodney Parham Road sign. Section 36-553(a)(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance allows a maximum sign height of six (6) feet and a maximum sign area of 64 square feet for ground signs in the office zones. One (1) sign is allowed per street frontage. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the additional sign area for both existing ground signs. The overall sign heights will not change and were previously approved by the Board. Staff is supportive of the requested sign variance. Staff views the request as reasonable. The property is located along two major arterial roadways. The adjacent property to the east is zoned C-3. C-3 zoning is also located across Rodney Parham Road to the east and across W. Markham Street to the south. There are numerous larger commercial ground signs in this general area, as well as a billboard directly across W. Markham Street. Therefore, the proposed sign areas will not be out of character with the area. Staff believes the proposed additional sign area will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. As noted in paragraph A. of the staff report, Public Works is requiring that the new sign panel on the Rodney Parham Road sign be moved back one (1) foot (from the roadway) from its proposed location on the existing sign pole. This is to prevent any sight distance issues. Staffs recommendation of approval is contingent upon compliance with this requirement. C. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested sign variance, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Public Works comment as noted in paragraph A. of the staff report. 2. Sign permits must be obtained for the sign alterations. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (July 30, 2012) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the application with a recommendation of approval, with conditions. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved, as recommended by staff with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays and 0 absent.