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Item 10ACity of Southlake Department of Planning S T A F F R E P O R T September 10, 2003 SP 03-012 CASE NO: Big Bowl Asian Kitchen, Gateway Plaza, Phase. II PROJECT: Variance to the Sign Ordinance No. 704-A. REQUEST: Consider variance request. ACTION NEEDED: ATTACHMENTS: (A) Background Information (B) Vicinity Map (C) Sign Detail (D) Building Elevation (E) Site Plan (F) Sign Variance Application STAFF CONTACT: Dennis Killough (481-2073) Bruce Payne (481-2036) Case No. SP 03-012 BACKGROUND INFORMATION OWNER: Brinker International. APPLICANT: Melanie Hancock PROPERTY SITUATION: Big Bowl Asian Kitchen is a restaurant in Gateway Plaza, Phase II located at the northeast corner of East Southlake Boulevard and North Nolen Drive. The property address is 2700 East Southlake Boulevard. PURPOSE: The restaurant owner wants to place a second attached sign on the west side of the building facing North Nolen Drive to indicate the location of the pick- up entrance for carry-out orders. This will also be the third attached sign on the building. The sign ordinance permits only one attached sign per street frontage and no more than two attached signs per building. There are other conditions of the proposal that do not comply with the sign ordinance and the conditional sign permit for this development. All are listed in the staff comments below. Approval of variance is required before a sign permit can be issued. STAFF COMMENTS: The sign detail plan, building elevation, site plan and variance application is attached to this report. The following variances to the Sign Ordinance No. 704-A and the conditional sign permit approval for Gateway Plaza Phase II are requested: 1. Ord. 704-A, Section 16.A.4. number of signs: Only one attached sign per lease space shall be allowed along each street frontage on any site, unless otherwise specifically provided in this ordinance. A secondary sign may be permitted at a public entrance, provided the entrance is on another side of the building, but shall be limited to twenty-five percent (25%) of the primary or permitted sign size, whichever is more restrictive. The six (6) inch minimum letter/logo height will not apply to these secondary signs. No more than two (2) attached signs shall be allowed per lease space. Attached signs shall be located within the first story of the main exterior entrance for a building or lease space (see Appendix ‘B’ for further clarification). This will be the second attached sign for this façade and the third for the building. 2. The three-sided attached sign type proposed is neither defined by the Sign Ordinance No. 704-A nor the Gateway Plaza, Phase II conditional sign permit. Because the sign type is not defined, it is not permitted. Case No. Attachment A SP 03-012Page 1 3. Gateway Plaza Phase II conditional sign permit, permitted sign location: Sign shall be centered on store frontage and limited in width to the middle 75% of any horizontally articulated façade or lease space. The proposed sign is off-set from the center of the facade and is approximately 1 foot outside of the middle 75% of the articulated façade. 4. Gateway Plaza Phase II conditional sign permit, maximum area for small retail: 0.75 square feet for every one foot of width of building or lease space, but not less than 45 square feet. The maximum permitted sign area for the west side of the building is 65 square feet. The existing sign on the west side of the building is 65 square feet. This proposal will add 21 square feet (3 sides to the sign). The City Council may authorize variances in accordance with the following provision of the Sign Ordinance No. 704-A, 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. Case No. Attachment A SP 03-012Page 2 Case No. Attachment B SP 03-012Page 1 Case No. Attachment C SP 03-012Page 1 Case No. Attachment D SP 03-012Page 1 Case No. Attachment E SP 03-012Page 1 Case No. Attachment F SP 03-012 Page 1 Case No. Attachment F SP 03-012 Page 2