PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing to consider a variance related to the proposed ground sign at 1564 West Ogden Avenue- PZC 20-1-054
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Kathleen Russell, Community Planner
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 20-1-054 was published in the Daily Herald on July 20, 2020.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located at 1564 West Ogden Avenue, and consists of an approximately 2.4-acre dealership with frontage along Ogden Avenue and Jefferson Avenue. The property is zoned B3 Community Shopping Center.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner requests approval of a variance for a ground sign advertising the Fair Oaks Lincoln dealership. Additional details regarding the sign proposed are outlined below.
Along Ogden Avenue, there is an existing ground sign located near the western entrance of the dealership. The existing sign is currently a non-conforming sign in terms of height, area and landscaping. The petitioner proposes a new sign in the current monument sign’s location. The proposed sign would be an improvement to the style, by having a wider base and landscaping around the bottom of the sign. The proposed new sign will increase in height by 7.5 feet and an increase in the area by 106 square feet compared to the existing ground sign. The proposed sign will have the address number included at the bottom of the sign as indicated in the petitioner’s letter.
There average area of the surrounding dealership ground signs is 112 square feet and the average height is 22 feet, based on the information on surrounding dealerships provided by the petitioner.
To complete these improvements, the petitioner is seeking approval of the a variance to Section 6-16-5:2.2 (Ground Signs) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH16SI_6-16-5SICOINPR> to allow an increase in the maximum sign area from 45 square feet to approximately 250 square feet and an increase in the maximum sign height from 10 feet to approximately 29.5 feet.
Staff is supportive of the variance requested due to the aesthetic enhancements proposed for the sign, including improvements to the sign width and landscaping. In addition, prior to 2017, car dealerships were permitted to have signage that could be twice as tall as any other commercial establishment. With the sign code amendments completed in 2017 which were aimed at creating a “content neutral sign code” per Supreme Court direction, these allowances were eliminated and car dealership sign allowances 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 Zoning Variance can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff is in general agreement with the variance findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests approval of a variance from Section 6-16-5:2.2 of the Naperville Municipal Code to permit a ground sign on the subject property to exceed permissible signage allowances in height and area. Staff supports the requested variance.