REVIEW COMMENTS
7.A.4
ZONING CODE VARIANCE
(POLE SIGN HEIGHT)
LOWE'S HOME CENTER
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM NO PZ 99-278
STAFF REPORT FOR
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION
November 18, 1999
Meeting Date: November 23, 1999
5
File No: ZNCV 99-oy(sign height)
Location.
SE corner of Woolbright Rd. and Corporate Dr (SW corner of 1-95 and Woolbright Rd.)
Owner'
Woolbright Partners/Nayrot Realty, Inc
Project:
Lowe's Home Improvement Center
Request:
Request for relief from the City of Boynton Beach Land Development Regulations, Chapter
21 Signs Article IV 2.B to allow an increase in allowable height from 20 feet to 49 feet.
BACKGROUND
The property which is the subject of this variance request is also the subject of an application for conditional
use approval to allow for the construction of a Lowe's Home Improvement Store at the intersection of
Woolbright Road and Corporate Drive The proposed project is to be constructed on Parcels 1 and 3A of the
Boynton Commerce Center plat. Since Lot 3A is currently part of the Boynton Commerce Center PID, a
master plan modification has also been requested to eliminate the northernmost building from the master plan
and show shared access between the industrial park and the planned Lowe's project.
Bob Basehart of Basehart Consulting, Inc, agent for Woolbright Partners, Inc has filed this variance
application for relief from the city's sign regulations to allow the placement of two (2) site sIgns advertising
the Lowe's Home Improvement Center project. One sign is proposed as a 20 foot 5 inch (20'5") monument
sign, and the second is a 49-foot high pole sign (see Exhibit "A" - Location Map, Exhibit "B" - Proposed
Signs) It should be noted that a second variance application (ZNCV 99-015) has been filed requesting relief
from the maximum number of site signs to allow two site signs rather that a single sign. The subject variance
request IS required to allow the proposed sign to exceed the maximum allowed height of 20 feet by 29 feet.
The following is a description of the land uses of the properties that surround the subject request.
North - Woolbright Road, and farther north the Shoppes of Woolbright PCD,
South - Boynton Commerce Center PID,
East SAL Railroad R.O W , and farther east, 1-95 R.O W , and
West Corporate Drive, and farther west an office building zoned C-1
ANALYSIS
The Land Development Regulations, Chapter 21, Article IV, Section 2 (B) limits uses within commercial
nonresidential districts (excluding shopping centers) to one (1) double-faced freestanding sign that advertises
the use of the premises Section 2 B reads as follows
"One (1) doublejacedfreestanding sign advertising the use of the premises The maximum area for
this sign shall be one (1) square foot of area for each linear foot of street frontage, no such sign shall
exceed sixty jour square feet in area. No sign shall be taller than twenty (20) feet. "
This application for the Lowe's Home Improvement Center represents a request for relief from section 2(B) of
the city's regulations in order to allow a sign in excess of the maximum height allowed of 20 feet. Two (2)
freestanding site signs are proposed for this project. One site sign is proposed to be a 20-foot (20 5') high,
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Page 2
Memorandum No 99-278
1266 square foot monument sign and one 49 foot, 126 6 square foot pylon sign (maximum allowable - one
20 foot high, 64 square foot double faced freestanding sign) It should also be noted that the plans indicate
that sIgn area has been calculated using only the area of individual sign letters rather than the area of the sign
immediately surrounding the letters, which is typically included as part of the area calculation. Staff has re-
calculated area of the proposed signs and determined each to be 126 6 feet. The proposed sign area of 126 6
feet, and the height of the entrance monument sign, exceed the maximum allowed by code, the conditions of
approval for the condItIonal use application require approval of appropriate variance applications, or the
reduction of sign area, and height, below the maximum allowed (e g 64 square feet in area and 20 feet high,
respectively)
Article II of this same chapter describes those sections of the code (or aspects of a sign) that can be varied
from code through this variance process According to Article 2, Section 1
"The board of zoning appeals may grant a variance if it finds that the unusual shape or topography of
the property in question prevents signage allowable under the provisions of this ordinance from
adequately identifying the business or other activity located on such property The board of zoning
appeals may only grant a variance to
A. Allow a setback less than that required under this chapter
B. Allow the area and/or height of a sign to be increased by up to twenty-five percent of the
maximum allowable height or area, or
C Allow the number of sign to be increase over the maximum allowed by this code "
An application for relief from Chapter 21 Signs is processed similar to a request for relief from Chapter 2
Zoning, including a similar application and notification requirements
The application indicates that the 49-foot high sign is required to provide signage to the 1-95 corridor
Staff summarizes its review by the following points
1) According to the provisions for a sign variance, the proposed sign height exceeds the maximum allowed
by variance (25 % or an additional 5 feet) by 24 feet.
2) Staff disagrees with the necessIty for the 49-foot pole sign as staff believes that the majority of future
patrons will not represent passer-by motorists but destination-based motorists who were aware of the
location of the subject use upon initiating their trip,
3) The subject request exceeds that approved for the adjacent Home Depot project, which, despite being
within a shopping center, is only 30 feet (shopping center signage provides advertising for multiple uses
and therefore has greater sign area requirements),
4) Businesses such as Home Depot and Lowe's occupy large buildings with fac;ade signage that alone
provides signage for local traffic and identification purposes, and
5) The city has began placing greater emphasis on project aesthetics, which is greatly affected by project
signage (for comparison, Wal*Mart, another large, regional retailer with typically very noticeable site
signage, was only approved with one, 12-foot high monument sign)
CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the aesthetic impacts of numerous site signs, and large (or high) site signs, and the desire of the city
to maintain signage in scale with the corresponding and adjacent uses, signage in excess of the maximum
allowed height should be avoided. Staff recommends that this variance request to allow a freestanding site
sign to exceed the maximum allowed height be 29 feet be denied. No conditions of approval are
recommended, however, any conditions recommended by the Board, or required by the Commission, shall be
fS 2..
Page 3
Memorandum No 99-278
documented in Exhibit "COO - Conditions of Approval
However, if the City Commission chooses to grant this variance request, to minimize visual impacts and to
maintain compatibility in area signage, staff recommends that the proposed pole sign be redesigned similar to
the Home Depot sign. This sign should not be higher that 25 feet (representing a 5-foot or 25% variance),
and be a monument sign comparable to the material and dimensions of the Home Depot/EXPO sign.
For comments relative to design of site signage, please refer to the staff report and conditions of approval
prepared for the corresponding application for conditional use approval (99-005)
Attachments
MR/dim
J:ISHRDATAIPlanningISHAREDlWPIPROJECfSILOWE'S HOME CENTERIZncv SIGN heightlSTAFF REP PZ 99-278.doc
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SIGNAGE ELEVATIONS & CALCUlATIONS
10. Pf\OPO$EO RETAIL F M:1\.11'Y FOR:
LOWE'S OF BOYNTON BEACH
BO'I'NTON BEACH. FLORIDA
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SITE Io.SSESSMENT !\PPROVP.l.
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o APPROVED EXTEttiOKELEVATtOt'S AS; DIU'''"
o Al'I'fIO\IED EXTE1llOlI. [U!VA1IONS AS NOTal
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Exhibit "C"
Conditions of Approval
Project name Lowe's Home Center
File number' ZNCV 99-015 (Sign Height)
Reference Basehart Consulting. Inc. letter of applIcatIOn for SIgn variances dated October 25. 1999
I DEPARTMENTS I INCLUDE I REJECT I
PUBLIC WORKS
Comments. None
UTILITIES
Comments None
FIRE
Comments. None
POLICE
Comments None
ENGINEERING DIVISION
Comments None
BUILDING DIVISION
Comments. None
PARKS AND RECREATION
Comments. None
FORESTER/ENVIRONMENTALIST
Comments None
PLANNING AND ZONING
Comments. None
ADDITIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD CONDITIONS
I To be determmed.
ADDITIONAL CITY COMMISSION CONDITIONS
2. To be determmed.
SIPLANNINGISHAREDlWPIPROJECTSILOWE'S HOME CENTER\ZNCV SIGN HEIGHTICOND. OF APPROVAL P&D 11-23-99.DOC
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DEVELOPM....~~T ORDER OF THE CITY COMMlf-'ON OF THE
l,. (Y OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIL.II-\
PROJECT NAME Lowe's Home Center
APPLICANT'S AGENT Robert E. Basehart, Bashart Consulting Inc.
APPLICANT'S ADDRESS 333 Southern Boulevard, Suite 200
DATE OF HEARING BEFORE CITY COMMISSION December 7,1999
TYPE OF RELIEF SOUGHT Zoning Code Variance (ZNCV 99-015 -Sign Height)
LOCATION OF PROPERTY Southwest Corner of 1-95 and Woolbright Road
DRAWING(S) SEE EXHIBIT "B" ATTACHED HERETO
X THIS MATTER came before the City Commission of the City of Boynton Beach, Florida
appearing on the Consent Agenda on the date above The City Commission hereby adopts the
findings and recommendation of the Planning and Development Board, which Board found as follows
OR
THIS MATTER came on to be heard before the City Commission of the City of Boynton
Beach, Florida on the date of hearing stated above. The City Commission having considered the
relief sought by the applicant and heard testimony from the applicant, members of city administrative
staff and the public finds as follows
1 Application for the relief sought was made by the Applicant in a manner consistent with
the requirements of the City's Land Development Regulations
2 The Applicant
1- HAS
HAS NOT
established by substantial competent evidence a basis for the relief requested
3 The conditions for development requested by the Applicant, administrative staff, or
suggested by the public and supported by substantial competent evidence are as set
forth on Exhibit "D" with notation "Included"
4 The Applicant's application for relief is hereby
1- GRANTED subject to the conditions referenced in paragraph 3 hereof
DENIED
5 This Order shall take effect immediately upon issuance by the City Clerk.
6 All further development on the property shall be made in accordance with the terms
and conditions of this order
7 Other
DATED.
City Clerk
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