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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report STAFF REPORT Project Manager: Lindsay Boyer, AICP, Staff Planner Report Date: May 23, 2007 Email: lboyercstx.qov Meeting Date: June 5, 2007 Project Number: 07-00500104 APPLICANT: Andres Vela REQUEST: Sign variance LOCATION: 925 Earl Rudder Freeway South PURPOSE: To increase the allowable freestanding sign area from 200 square feet to 288 square feet GENERAL INFORMATION Status of Applicant: Representative of the owner Property Owner: Sailor Hotel Group, L.P. Applicable Ordinance Section: Section 7.4.N, Freestanding Commercial Signs as it relates to allowable sign size PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Zoning and Land Use • Subject Property: C-1, General Commercial, developed as Hampton Inn and Suites • North: A-O, Agricultural Open, undeveloped floodpain • West: Earl Rudder Freeway • East: A-O, Agricultural Open and R-1, Single Family, undeveloped floodplain • South: C-2, Commercial Industrial, developed as Douglass Nissan Frontage: The subject property has 345 feet of frontage on State Highway 6 frontage road. Access: The property is accessed by a driveway off the frontage road. The property also connects to the Douglass Nissan site, however this entrance is gated. Topography & Vegetation: Existing vegetation on the property was developed with the hotel site in compliance with City landscape requirements. Flood Plain: A portion of the property lies in the 100 and 500 year floodplain as noted on FIRM Map Panel 4804100142 C. VARIANCE INFORMATION Background: The subject property developed in 2004 as the Hampton Inn and Suites. In 2005, a sign permit application was submitted for a freestanding sign. The original sign application proposed a 35 foot tall sign with total sign area of 288 square feet — 60 square feet was proposed as readerboard. This area is based on the width and length all sign elements. The application indicated a proposed length of 18 feet to include the Hampton sign and readerboard, and a width of 16 feet. The applicant was notified that in order to have a sign of 35 feet in height, the sign must be at least 70 feet from the curb. Additionally, based on the amount of frontage, the allowable freestanding sign area may not exceed 200 square feet, with a maximum of 30% (60 square feet) of readerboard/LED display. The application was approved in March of 2005 with a note that the area for the readerboard/LED display was not approved due to the area exceeding the maximum allowable signage. The sign was erected without changing the design, and the readerboard area was required to be blacked out with a metal panel. The existing sign is 160 square feet in area (10' x 16'). The area of the readerboard would increase the area of the sign to 288 square feet. This requires a variance of 88 square feet to the allowable area of a freestanding sign. ANALYSIS Special Conditions: The applicant has indicated a special condition of having to place the sign in its current location because of an easement. Hardships: The applicant has indicated a hardship on the part of the owner for the maintenance of the metal panel which is rapidly deteriorating and difficult to repair. Alternatives: Staff has identified three alternatives: 1. The applicant may place a 40 square foot readerboard in such a way that meets the overall maximum area of 200 square feet. 2. The applicant may replace the sign with a new sign meeting requirements so that they will no longer have to maintain a deteriorating sign. 3. The applicant may continue to maintain the existing sign. Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of this request. Based on the history of this application, Staff believes that there are no special conditions or hardship that are specific to just this property. Staff also believes that the hardship of this sign being difficult to maintain and unsightly is self-inflicted because it was constructed with the readerboard area despite being denied by Staff. Additionally, while the business chose to locate their sign on its existing location due to a 20 foot Public Utility Easement along the front of the property line, distance from the curb does not have bearing on the allowable area of a sign. Businesses are free to erect signs that are any distance from the curb provided that the height is equal to one half the distance from the curb. SPECIAL INFORMATION Ordinance Intent: The City Council recognizes that signs are necessary for visual communication for the public convenience, and that businesses and other activities have the right to identify themselves by using signs that are incidental to the use on the premises where the signs are located. The council seeks to provide a reasonable balance between the right of a person to identify his or her business or activity, and the rights of the public to be protected against visual discord and safety hazards that result from the unrestricted proliferation, location, and construction of signs. Similar Requests: None Number of Property Owners Notified: 5 Responses Received: None as of the date of the staff report. ATTACHMENTS 1. Small Area Map and Aerial Map 2. Application 3. Sign Details 4. Site Plan (provided in packet) 1 STAFF REPORT Project Manager: Lindsay Boyer, AICP Report Date: May 23, 2007 Email: lboyercstx.qov Meeting Date: June 5, 2007 Project Number: 07-00500104 APPLICANT: Andres Vela REQUEST: Sign variance LOCATION: 925 Earl Rudder Freeway South PURPOSE: To increase the allowable freestanding sign area from 200 square feet to 285 square feet GENERAL INFORMATION Status of Applicant: Representative of the owner Property Owner: Sailor Hotel Group, L.0 Applicable Ordinance Section: Section 7.4.N, Freestanding Commercial Signs as it relates to allowable sign size PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Zoning and Land Use • Subject Property: C-1, General Commercial, developed as Hampton Inn and Suites • North: A-O, Agricultural Open, undeveloped floodpain • West: Earl Rudder Freeway • East: A-O, Agricultural Open and R-1, Single Family, undeveloped floodplain • South: C-2, Commercial Industrial, developed as Douglass Nissan Frontage: The subject property has 345 feet of frontage on State Highway 6 frontage road Access: The property is accessed by a driveway off the frontage road. The property also connects to the Douglass Nissan site, however this entrance is gated. Topography & Vegetation: The property is developed and has only vegetation required by landscaping ordinance. Flood Plain: A portion of the property lies in the 100 and 500 year floodplain as noted on FIRM Map Panel 4804100142 C VARIANCE INFORMATION Background: The Hampton Inn and Suites developed in 2004. In 2005, a sign permit application was submitted for a freestanding sign. The original sign application proposed a 35 foot sign with total sign area of 285 square feet — 60 square feet was proposed as readerboard. This area is based on the height and width of all sign elements. The application indicated a proposed height of 18.2 feet to include the Hampton sign and readerboard, and a width of 15.6 feet. The applicant was notified that in order to have a 35 foot sign, the sign must be at least 70 feet from the curb. Additionally, based on the amount of frontage, the allowable freestanding sign may not exceed 200 square feet, with a maximum of 30% (60 square feet) of readerboard/LED display. The application was approved in March of 2005 with a note that the area for the readerboard/LED display was not approved due the area exceeding the maximum allowable signage. The sign was erected without changing the design, and the readerboard area was required to be blacked out with a metal panel. The existing sign is 160 square feet in area. The area of the readerboard would increase the area of the sign to 285 square feet. This requires a variance of 85 square feet. ANALYSIS Special Conditions: The applicant has indicated a special condition of having to place the sign 60 feet from the road because of an easement Hardships: The applicant has indicated a hardship on the part of the owner for the maintenance of the metal panel which is rapidly deteriorating and difficult to repair. Alternatives: Staff has identified three alternatives: 1. The applicant may place a 40 square foot readerboard in such a way that meets the overall maximum area of 200 square feet. 2. The applicant may replace the sign with a new sign meeting requirements so that they will no longer have to maintain a deteriorating sign. 3. The applicant may continue to maintain the existing sign. Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of this request. Based on the history of this application, Staff believes that there are no special conditions or hardship that are specific to just this property. Staff also believes that the hardship of this sign being difficult to maintain and unsightly is self-inflicted because it was constructed with the readerboard area despite being denied by Staff. Additionally, the sign was not placed in its current location because of an easement, but rather to achieve the requested sign height of 35 feet. SPECIAL INFORMATION Ordinance Intent: To establish clear and unambiguous regulations pertaining to signs in the City of College Station and to promote an attractive community, foster traffic safety, and enhance the effective communication and exchange of ideas and commercial information (Section 7.4). Similar Requests: None? Number of Property Owners Notified: 5 Responses Received: None as of the date of the staff report ATTACHMENTS 1. Small Area Map and Aerial Map 2. Application 3. Sign Description 4. Site Plan (provided in packet)