Walgreens Will Have To Wait 30 Days For Ruling On Sign Variance
Walgreens will have to wait a month to see if it can put a “letterboard” sign up with its regular store sign at its new Commerce location.
The pharmacy chain, which is to close on its Commerce site today (Wednesday), seeks a variance from the city’s sign ordinance to have a sign three times larger than allowed under the ordinance — plus a letterboard sign that could be used to promote store specials or to advise that a tornado warning is in effect.
David Zelaya, Woodstock, and Michael Caldwell, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, appeared before the Commerce Planning Commission Monday night seeking the variance. But after discussing the matter for half an hour, the planning commission voted to table the discussion for 30 days to consider how the city’s sign ordinance intended to handle such cases.
Chairman Greg Perry, who pointed out that his brother is head pharmacist at the CVS across the street from the Walgreens site, did not hold out much hope for a thumbs-up recommendation on the variance.
He told the two men that he expects that the planning commission “will give you what CVS got and if you don’t like that, you can appeal to the city council.”
The planning commission is a recommending board. The city council will make the final decision.
Caldwell, who with a partner will own the property and lease it to Walgreens, said he did not think that Walgreens would object to being held to the 24-square-foot minimum on the main sign, although the company’s standard sign is 80 square feet. He insisted, however, that the letterboard — a separate sign in which messages can be changed — is essential.
“They can live with a 24-square-foot sign, but they hope you will not consider the reader board part of the 24 square feet,” Caldwell said.
The city sign ordinance permits letterboard signs, but if they are electronic, their messages are limited to time and temperature.
Jean Edwards, whose North Broad Street house is adjacent to the property, listened to the discussion and concluded that the sign aspect did not bother her. However, she asked that CVS officials explain to her how the building would be situated in relation to her house. After the discussion on the Walgreens issue ended, she, Caldwell and Zelaya went into an adjacent room for that discussion.
Re-Zoning, Annexation
To Be Recommended
In other action, the planning commission voted unanimously to recommend that the city council accept the recommendation of Ali Kahn to annex and rezone 7.76 acres on Steve Reynolds Industrial Parkway from R-2 (residential) in Jackson County to C-2 (commercial) in the city for the construction of an office and retail complex.
The city council will act on that recommendation at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, in the Commerce Room of the Commerce Civic Center.
Amendments Tabled
The planning commission tabled two proposed amendments to the city zoning ordinance pending drafting of proposals by David Zellner, city planning.
The first relates to outbuildings in residential areas. The city council did not like the first amendment the planners sent up for consideration, so they sent it back. Under that plan, owners of larger lots would have been allowed two outbuildings, each equal to 50 percent of the square foot of the dwelling’s “footprint.” The city council found that discriminatory. It also did not like the requirement that outbuildings had to be made of the same materials as the dwelling on the property.
The second amendment is an effort to change the allowed height of fences in front yards from three feet to four feet. Zellner’s challenge will be to include a provision that will allow city meter readers access to those gated yards.
No Old Mobile
Homes To Be Allowed
In its only other business, the planning commission rejected a request from Michael Scott, owner of Ashworth Mobile Home Park, Homer Road, for a variance in the age limitations of mobile homes moved into the city.
Scott told the planning commission that his mobile home park is configured for singlewide mobile homes, but that people can no longer get financing on singlewides. He asked to be allowed to move in trailers older than the five-year-old cap in the zoning ordinance.
Member Joe Leffew called the singlewide mobile homes an “outdated source of housing.”
“Why would we want something no one else wants anywhere?” he asked.
The city council will also make the final call on that request at its April 14 meeting.
