PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing to consider a variance to Section 6-16-5:2.2.4 (Ground Signs) for the proposed ground sign at 1527 Aurora Avenue (Audi) - PZC 23-1-073
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: John Scopelliti, Assistant Planner
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
A variance to Section 6-16-5:2.2.4 (Ground Signs) to allow for the installation of an approximately 20-foot-tall ground sign.
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 23-1-073 was published in the Naperville Sun on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
BACKGROUND:
The property is zoned B3 (General Commercial District) and is located at 1527 Aurora Avenue. The petitioner is Olympic Sign Co, 1130 N. Garfield, Lombard, IL 60148. The subject property consists of 182,080 square feet improved with the Audi Naperville showroom and service center, as well as an associated parking lot with frontage along Aurora Avenue.
DISCUSSION:
The subject property currently has one non-conforming ground sign measuring approximately 20 feet in height on the east side of its Aurora Avenue frontage. At this time, the petitioner proposes removing the sign and installing new signage on the west side of the Aurora Avenue frontage to improve the sign’s visibility and better reflect the brand’s image.
Section 6-16-5:2.2.4 (Ground Signs) of the Naperville Municipal Code limits the maximum ground sign height to 10 feet. The proposed ground sign is approximately 20 feet tall and is planned for installation along Aurora Avenue at the southwest corner of the lot as depicted in the attachments. The ground sign complies with the other applicable sign regulations in terms of square footage, setbacks, design, illumination, and landscaping.
The petitioner indicates that the proposed sign will be similar in height to Audi’s existing ground sign, which will be removed once the proposed sign has been installed. It will also provide motorists with the ability to see the location of the dealership and allow safe access into the dealership lot more clearly. Additionally, they have provided a photo exhibit to support the variance request. This exhibit displays several automobile dealership monument signs in the surrounding area, all with an approximate height of 20 feet, making the proposed ground sign consistent with signage in the surrounding area.
Staff is supportive of the variance requested due to the aesthetic enhancements proposed for the sign, including the internal illumination of the Audi logo and abundant landscaping. Prior to 2017, car dealerships were permitted to have signage that could be twice as tall as any other commercial establishment. Sign code amendments completed in 2017, which were aimed at creating a “content neutral sign code” per Supreme Court direction, eliminated these additional allowances, and car dealership sign regulations are now consistent with all other commercial establishments. Staff finds that the signage proposed for the subject property is generally consistent with the character of pre-existing car dealership signage in the Corridor and therefore supports the sign as proposed.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Variance can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff agrees with the variance findings and recommends their adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner requests a variance from Naperville Municipal Code Section 6-16-5:2.2.4 (Ground Signs) to allow for the installation of an approximately 20-foot tall ground sign. Staff supports the requested variance.