CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Pass the ordinance approving a variance to permit a wall sign to be installed on a residential property located at 1350 E. Ogden Avenue - PZC 21-1-016
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Sara Kopinski, AICP
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
A variance to Section 6-16-4:2 of the Naperville Municipal Code is requested to permit a wall sign to be installed on a residential property located at 1350 E. Ogden Avenue.
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) considered this matter on March 17, 2021 and voted to recommend approval of the request (Approved 8-0). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property consists of 2.265 acres of land at the southwest corner of Ogden Avenue and Tuthill Road. In December 2019, the City Council approved rezoning the subject property from B3 to OCI and a conditional use for multi-family residential (with associated density and parking variances). In March 2020, a minor change to the conditional use was approved to allow for new construction in lieu of reusing an existing motel for the apartment building.
The property has since been developed with a 112-unit micro-apartment community. Section 6-16-4 <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH16SI_6-16-4SIREPR> of the Naperville Municipal Code prohibits a wall sign from being installed on the building due to the residential nature of the property. The petitioner requests approval of a sign variance to permit the facility to install a permanent wall sign on the north building façade, facing Ogden Avenue.
DISCUSSION:
The subject property functions as a transition between more intensive business uses along Ogden Avenue, and lower intensity residential uses to the south. The petitioner proposes a wall sign on the building’s north façade to provide adequate site identification for passersby along Ogden Avenue. The petitioner does not have plans to install monument signage along Ogden Avenue at this time; therefore, the wall sign is anticipated to be the only signage visible from the roadway.
During previous entitlement approvals, staff requested that the subject property maintain a site design that deemphasized the residential nature of the development along Ogden Avenue. The petitioner complied with this request by locating the amenity areas (lobby/lounge, kitchen, gym, management, laundry) along the Ogden frontage and the residential units behind. Staff believes the addition of an illuminated wall sign on the Ogden Avenue frontage reinforces a commercial appearance on the property when viewed from Ogden, and is consistent with surrounding businesses. The wall sign is not oriented towards any residences, and complies with all other signage requirements regarding size and placement on the building. The proposed wall sign is approximately 37 sq. ft. in size, and only the logo and lettering will be illuminated.
One of the goals of the sign ordinance is to advance the City’s economy 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. Staff has reviewed the property’s site plan and proposed sign design, and believes it achieves this goal. Staff is supportive of the requested variance due to the property’s commercial surroundings and visibility on the Ogden corridor, the sign’s orientation towards other commercially zoned properties, and the aesthetic of the sign.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Variance can be found in the attachments. Upon review, the Planning and Zoning Commission and staff agree with the petitioner’s Findings and recommend their adoption by the City Council.
Planning & Zoning Commission Action
The PZC considered this matter at their meeting on March 17, 2021. No members of the public provided testimony. The Commission closed the public hearing and moved to adopt the findings of fact as presented by the petitioner and approve PZC 21-1-016 (approved 8-0). Staff concurs.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests approval of a variance to Section 6-16-4:2 of the Naperville Municipal Code to permit a permanent wall sign to be installed on a residential property.
§ The PZC and staff are in support of the request due to the transitional location of the property between commercial and residential land uses, the sign’s orientation towards commercially zoned properties, and the aesthetics of the sign.
Related Files
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