CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Pass the ordinance approving variances to permit a wall sign for Charles Schwab at 19 W. Chicago Avenue - DEV-0133-2025
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Anna Franco, AICP, Community Planner
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission considered DEV-0133-2025 on November 19, 2025, and recommended approval of the request (approved 7-2). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
The 2,731-square foot subject property is zoned B4 (Downtown Core District) and is improved with a two-story brick and stone building, located between The George at 245 S Washington Street and Einstein Bros. Bagels at 22 Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville. The building has frontages on both Chicago Avenue and Jackson Avenue with the main entrance to the building located on Chicago Avenue. The north and south façades of the building feature windows, lighting, wall signage and other design features, and the east and west facades are windowless. The east and west facades are viewable over the one-story The George and Eisenstein Bros. Bagel buildings from Washington Street and Main Street.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., has leased the entire building for approximately 20 years and is considering a lease extension and renovation to the Downtown Naperville branch to host events for clients and the general community to foster educational programming and community engagement. As part of this renovation effort, Charles Schwab will replace the existing signage on the Chicago and Jackson Avenue facades to reflect the updated branding.
Charles Schwab is also proposing to install a 36 square foot, illuminated wall sign on the upper portion of the east façade of the building, which will be the same type and sign size as those to be installed on the Jackson Avenue and Chicago Avenue facades, to address ongoing business identification issues. According to the petitioner, Charles Schwab’s customers find it difficult to locate the branch due to its midblock location and often circle the block and become frustrated with downtown traffic patterns. The petitioner feels that the lack of adequate identification of the building creates these issues and that the problem will only worsen as Charles Schwab expands its community education programs and invites more clients to visit the downtown branch.
The sign regulations for commercial wall signs as outlined in Section 6-16-5.2.1.1 of the Naperville Municipal Code state that wall signs are only permitted “for facades with street frontage (public or private) and facades adjacent to an off-street parking area where customer access is also available.” Further, sign regulations for wall signs in the Downtown Central Business District as outlined in Section 6-16-6:3.1.1.1 of the Naperville Municipal Code state that wall signs are only permitted for facades “facing public and private streets, sidewalks, and alleys, the West Branch of the DuPage River, and parking lots.” The proposed wall sign requires a variance since the east façade of the Charles Schwab building does not meet one of these requirements and is therefore not a qualifying façade for signage.
Findings of Fact
Staff recognizes the need for Charles Schwab to improve wayfinding for its business and finds the proposal in harmony with the purpose of Title 6, Chapter 16 (Signs) of the Naperville Municipal Code to “advance the economy of the City by recognizing the need for adequate site identification through promoting the reasonable and objective display of signage, and to encourage effective communication between signs and the public.” The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Zoning Variance are attached. Upon review, the Planning and Zoning Commission and staff generally agree with the petitioner’s findings and recommend their adoption by the City Council.
Planning and Zoning Commission Action
The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted the public hearing to consider DEV-0133-2025 on November 19, 2025. No public comments were received during the public hearing, and the Commission did not have any comments or questions regarding the variance requests. The Planning and Zoning Commission closed the public hearing and voted to recommend approval of the petitioner’s request as presented (approved 7-2). Staff concurs.
Key Takeaways
• Charles Schwab is proposing a wall sign on the east façade of the existing building. The proposed wall sign requires a variance since the east façade is not a qualifying façade for signage.
• Staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission support the variance request and find the proposal to be in harmony with the purpose of Title 6, Chapter 16 (Signs) of the Naperville Municipal Code.
FISCAL IMPACT
N/A