Item 10BCity of Southlake
Department of Planning
STAFF REPORT
September 28, 2005
CASE NO
SP 05 -223
PROJECT: Sign Variance for Clearview Eyecare & Laser Center
REQUEST: Variance to the Sign Ordinance No. 704 -B requirements for maximum letter height
for attached signs. The specific variance requested is as follows:
Sign Reg. Permitted Requested
Maximum Letter Height 12 inches 18 inches
ACTION NEEDED: Consider variance request.
ATTACHMENTS: (A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
Background Information
Vicinity Map
Site Plan
Building Elevation & Sign Detail
Adjacent Signs
Sign Variance Application
STAFF CONTACT: Dennis Killough (748 -8072)
Ken Baker (748 -8067)
Case No.
SP 05 -223
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
APPLICANT: Wallace Ryne, Clearview Eyecare & Laser Center and Paul McClure,
Identitec
OWNER: Wallace Ryne
PROPERTY SITUATION: The property is located on Lot B, Block B, Briarwood Estates along the S.H.
114 access road. The address is 2100 East S.H. 114.
REQUEST: The applicant is proposing an attached sign on the south side of the building
facing S.H. 114. The proposed sign will have a letter size greater than
permitted under Sign Ordinance No. 407 -B. Approval of a variance is
required in order to receive a building permit for this sign.
STAFF COMMENTS: The sign criteria, building elevations, site plan and application are attached to
this report. The following variance to Sign Ordinance No. 704 -B is
requested:
• Ord. 704 -13, Section 16.A.2 MAXIMUM LETTER/LOGO HEIGHT
The maximum permitted letter height is 12 inches for a sign less than 100
feet from the right -of -way or vehicular driveway access.
The store front is approximately 99 feet from the property line. The
maximum permitted letter /logo height is 12 inches. The applicant is
requesting a maximum letter height of 18 inches.
The City Council may authorize variances in accordance with the following
provision of the Sign Ordinance No. 704 -13, Section 14, Variances:
The City Council may authorize variances to any restriction set forth in this
ordinance, including but not limited to the number, type, area, height, or
setback of signs, or any other aspect involved in the sign permitting process.
In granting any variance, the City Council shall determine that a literal
enforcement of the sign regulations will create an unnecessary hardship or a
practical difficulty on the applicant, that the situation causing the
unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty is unique to the affected property
and is not self - imposed, that the variance will not injure and will be wholly
compatible with the use and permitted development of adjacent properties,
and that the granting of the variance will be in harmony with the spirit and
purpose of this sign ordinance. A person may request a variance from the
Sign Ordinance by filing the request with the Building Official. Any request
for variance shall be accompanied by a completed application and a non-
refundable filing fee in the amount specified in the current fee schedule
adopted by City Council.
COUNCIL ACTION: Consider variance request.
Case No.
SP 05 -223
Attachment A
Page 1
N: \Community Development \MEMO \SIGNS \2005 \SP05 -223 Clearview Eyecare.doc
Case No.
SP 05 -223
Attachment A
Page 2
Vicinity Map
Clearview Eyecare &Laser Ctr.
I L
Case No.
SP 05 -223
1F
Attachment B
Page 1
1000 0 1000 2000 3000 Feet
S ite Plan
Case No.
SP 05 -223
Attachment C
Page 1
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ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR:
5TRUCTURE. & INTERIJR5 ELECTRIC COMPANY
Proposed Sign — View from S.H. 114 Access Road
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Case No. Attachment D
SP 05 -223 Page 2
Neighboring Signs —12 inch letters
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Neighboring Sign — 9 inch letters
Case No.
SP 05 -223
L—
Attachment E
Page 1
Sign Variance Application
Demonstration
Please demonstrate that the foll9w[Mconditlons am applicable to the requested si n
variance:
1. That a Kral enforcement of the sign regulation will crate an unnecessary hardship or
Practical difficulty on the applicant.
Through trial and error tests with sample letters, the owner and sign company have determined
that the minimum required height of the attached main identification lettering ( "CLEARVIEW")
must be 18" tali in order to be effectively visible and legible to passersby on Highway 114. The
sign ordinance specifies that in order for a business to benefit from 18" tall attached letters, the
signage must be located at least 109 feet behind the Right of Way. The only practical location
for the signage on this building is 99 feet behind the R_O.W., which would restrict those letters
to only 12" tall (33% smaller), which is insufficient for identification purposes.
2. That the situation causing the unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty is unique to the
affected property and is not self imposed.
One of the unique factors of this property compared to most others in Southlake is the
existance of an access road running between the proposed signage and its intended audience
(Highway 114)_ Unfortunately for this particular business site, the current R.O.W. is set based
on the location of the access road, not the primary road which is considerably further away
from the property line and the building signage.
3_ That the variance will not injure and will be wholly compatible with the Use and permitted
devetoprnent of adjacent properties.
Granting this variance for the Conditional Sign Permit will have no adverse effect on adjacent
properties, many -- perhaps the majority —of which already enjoy signage letters of 18" tall or
greater.
4. That Die variance will be in han nony with the spirit and purpose of the sign ordinance.
Aside from this request that the City treat our existing 99 -foot setback as if it were one foot
further (199 feet), all other aspects of the proposed attached signage do conform fully with the
existing sign ordinance.
Case No.
SP 05 -223
Attachment F
Page 1