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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA 1992-11-24 Minutes MINlrrES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF 'IHE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE CITY OF NORTH RIC~AND HILLS, TEXAS November 24, 1992 - 12:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER Chainnan Duer called the meeting to order at 12:28 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT Ch ainn an Members Tom Duer Jeff Bunting Bill Cypert Robert Skinner Barry LeBaron Steve Pence Clayton Husband Mark Barfield Steve Ingham Jim Kemp Director of Planning Building Official PZ Coordinator ABSENT: 1. BA 92-17 Request of Collins Signs to vary from the Zoning Ordinance No. 1080 on Lot 2, Block 4, Tapp Addition, to exceed the maximum sign height requirement. This property is located at 6501 NE Loop 820. TABLED 11/19/92 Chairman Duer stated that this item was tabled until the Board could reconvene to do off-site study and investigation. He stated the Board will now recess to the site for the boom test. The Board reconvened in the Council Chamber at 1:25 p.m. with the same members present. Chairman Duer opened the Public Hearing and called for those wishing to speak to come forward at this time. Ms. Pam Cox, of Collins Signs, Dothan, Alabama, came forward to speak. She stated that the test just conducted started at a 70-foot sign height and worked down from there. She stated the ftrst run made was with the bottom of the sign at 40-feet high, making the top of the sign 55 feet. She stated she would like for the Board to consider the bottom of the sign at. 45 feet, making the top of the sign 60-feet. Ms. Cox stated that ttaveling west on 820, taller trucks on the Rufe Snow bridge would block the bottom of the sign if the sign were only 50- feet tall. Ms. Cox stated that the local traffic within about a two-mile area will use Meadow Lakes Drive as an exit. She stated she did not believe that people from outside the area will. She stated l'he Home Depot will draw 75% of their traffic from a six mile radius, and if people pass Rufe Snow, they may not be sure that there is another exit that will get them there. She stated as more people visit The Home Depot, they will eventually figure that out, but it could take up to a year before it becomes an affective exit. Mr. Skinner asked what the size of the target was. Ms. Cox stated the target was 8-feet by 8-feet, about one-fourth the size of the actual sign. Mr. Skinner asked why they changed from a 17x17-foot sign to a 15x15-foot. sign. ZBA Minutes - Page 2 24 November 1992 Ms. Cox stated she originally went with the recommendation of the local sign company, but after further study decided a 15x15-foot is sufficient. She stated there is no data to prove that a taller sign generates more business. She stated they are aiming for a sign that would be a few feet above the overpass traffic on Rufe Snow. Mr. Skinner asked if there would be a sign on the front of the building. Ms. Cox stated yes, but it will be virtually invisible to interstate traffic. Mr. Skinner stated he disagreed, and that it is visible, but only after you pass the Meadow Lakes exit. Ms. Cox stated that traveling west it would be visible after passing under Rufe Snow; traveling ea~t, it is visible about l00-feet before the foot of the exit ramp of Rufe Snow. Ms. Skinner asked who initially decided to spot the sign in that position. Ms. Cox stated The Home Depot did. She stated moving it closer to Wal-mart would put two signs too close together. Mr. Skinner stated that the developer of the property would have a sign on Rufe Snow listing all the businesses within that development. Ms. Cox stated Mr. Peskind has not told her of any such sign. Mr. Skinner asked Mr. Pence to verify that. Mr. Pence stated that Mr. Peskind has stated he plans to put up a sign on Rufe Snow advertising The Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and the other businesses. Mr. Skinner stated that they need to take into consideration that there may be other signs in that general location. He stated that there is enough distance between The Home Depot and Wal-Mart that there probably will not be a sign in between them. Ms. Cox stated she met Mr. Peskind earlier this morning, and that the property to the east of The Home Depot was recently sold to Sack-n-Save. She stated she does not know the City code that well, but that she is sure that Sack-n-Save would be allowed their own free standing sign. She stated that with the sign in the center of The Home Depot frontage, that would guarantee that two signs would not be too close together. Ms. Cox stated she is requesting to lower the height of the sign to 6O-feet, which would give them a grade clearance of 45-feet, which was five feet higher than the Board saw on their flfst run. There being no one else wishing to speak, Chairman Duer closed the Public Hearing. Mr. Skinner stated that the Wal-Mart sign is 50-feet to the top of the sign. He stated that the top of the target they looked at was at 48- feet. Mr. Bunting stated that the increase in height of five feet will not make much difference. ZBA Minutes - Page 3 24 November 1992 Mr. Skinner stated the target they looked at was a black dot on an orange background. He stated The Home Depot sign will be white on orange, more visible than black on orange. Mr. Bunting stated the square footage of the sign will be four times that of the target. Chairman Duer stated that with the bottom of the sign at 40-feet, the sign was clearly above the Rufe Snow bridge, and was slightly above the tops of the parking lot lamps. He stated if a 15x15 foot sign was placed there, the bottom of the sign would be at 35-feet, and the parking lot lamps may be the only thing to obstruct the view of the sign while traveling west on the Loop. He stated his concern was the height of the sign above the bridge level. He stated that 70-feet was not a good height because the electrical lines obstructed the view of the sign. Mr. Skinner stated they did not find any hindrance with the traffic on Rufe Snow blocking the sign. He stated he could see the orange sign long before he even approached the Rufe Snow exit. He stated that if you passed Rufe Snow, there is about 3/4-mile to figure out what to do about getting off the freeway. He stated if you exited Meadow Lakes to turn around, you could see that it is easy to see how to get to the sight by going up behind Wal-Mart. He stated that the Loop will eventually be widened to about ten lanes, and the access road will be very close to the sign. He stated they dontt know how much elevation will disappear with the widening. He stated the 60-feet is not necessary in his opinion. Mr. Cypert stated he concurs with the maximum height of fifty-feet. He stated the target was clearly visible about 3/10 of a mile before the Rufe Snow exit. Mr. Skinner stated that the Wal-Mart sign was also visible at that point. Chairman Duer made the motion to approve BA 92-17 subject to the top of the sign being 55-feet, making the bottom of the sign 40 feet, so the parking lamps do not block the sign. Mr. Bunting stated he did not see any obstruction with the parking lot lamps. Chairman Duer stated if the sign were 50-feet, the bottom of the sign will be 35-feet. He stated the Board was looking at a 40-foot height on the bottom of the target. Mr. Bunting stated that five feet will not make a difference when you are looking at something a quarter of a mile away. The motion died for lack of a second. Chairman Duer asked for a motion for approval of BA 92-17 with the sign height at 6O-feeL Chairman Duer stated that due to the lack of any motion for approval, the request is denied. He stated his appreciation t.o Ms. Cox for all the work she did in helping the Board with this case. ZBA Minutes - Page 4 24 November 1992 ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned. ?~¿---- ctairman Tom Duer Zoning Board of Adjustment