PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing for Naperville Self Storage (PZC 18-1-065) located at 2708 Forgue Drive, to consider sign variances from Section 6-16-3 and 6-16-5 to permit an off premise sign and two wall signs.
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Kasey Evans, AICP
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 18-1-065 was published in the Naperville Sun on August 19, 2018.
BACKGROUND:
The property is located near the southeast corner of Leverenz Road and Forgue Drive, with a common street address of 2708 Forgue Drive. The property is approximately 1.3 acres, and is improved with self storage building and associated surface parking. North of the property is the Arbor Terrace assisted living building.
DISCUSSION:
Off Premise Monument Sign
The subject property is tucked behind (east of) office buildings fronting along Forgue Drive and behind (south of) Arbor Terrace located at the southeast corner of Forgue Drive and Leverenz Road. The property does not have frontage along any road. Access to the property is provided via a shared driveway from Forgue Drive along the south side of the Arbor Terrace property. The petitioner, 5995 Naperville Self Storage LLC, proposes an off premise monument sign for CubeSmart to be located on the south side of the shared driveway on the Arbor Terrace property. Municipal Code Section 6-16-3 (Prohibited Signs) specifically prohibits off premise signs; therefore, the petitioner requests a variance to allow the proposed monument sign to be located on the Arbor Terrace property.
Staff has reviewed the requested variance and finds that the petitioner meets the standards for granting a variance to allow the monument sign to be located off premise from the building that it serves. Without the sign, it may not be readily apparent how to access the CubeSmart property. The proposed monument sign will aid drivers by identifying where to turn to get to CubeSmart. The monument sign is designed to match the architecture of the CubeSmart building and complies with applicable sign regulations for size, height and setbacks. The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Zoning Variance are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Wall Signs
The petitioner also proposes wall signs on the west and south facades of the building. Per Municipal Code Section 6-16-5, wall signage is permitted on facades where there is customer access and/or customer parking available. There is neither customer access, nor customer parking available on the west and south sides of the building; therefore, the petitioner requests variances to permit the proposed signage on the west and south façades of the building. The areas of both proposed wall signs are consistent with what would be allowed if signs were permitted on those facades, and the sign on the south façade is located close to the southwest corner of the building to minimize any potential impact on nearby residential properties.
The petitioner has stated the proposed signage will assist in wayfinding to the business. The property is located considerable distances from Route 59 and Cantore Road and the signs will help to identify the business to passing motorists. Directly west of the property are office buildings with associated parking, and directly south is a detention pond; therefore, the proposed wall signs should have little to no impact on adjacent properties. The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Variance are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests approval of sign variances to construct an of premise monument sign and install wall signs on the west and south façades of the building located at 2708 Forgue Drive.
§ Staff recommends approval of the sign variances as they will aid wayfinding to the subject property.