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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVA199100057 Action Letter 1992-01-16 xkQ=tq COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE Department of Zoning 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22901-4596 (804) 296-5875 January 16, 1992 Paran United Methodist Church c/o Edwin Childress 2815 Hollymead Drive Charlottesville, VA 22901 RE: Board of Zoning Appeals Action Paran United Methodist Church VA-91-57 ; Tax Map 21, Parcel 16 Dear Mr. Childress: This letter is to inform you that on January 14 , 1992 , during the meeting of the Albemarle County Board of Zoning Appeals, the Board unanimously (4 : 0) approved your request for VA-91-57 , subject to the following conditions: 1) Signs shall be limited to eighteen (18) square feet in area each; 2) Signs shall be limited to eight (8) feet in height; and 3) Sign design shall remain compatible with the building. This variance approval allows relief from Sections 4 . 15. 3 . 1 and 10. 4 of the Albemarle County Zoning Ordinance to reduce the front setback from 75 to 12 feet, to locate a freestanding sign on Route 606; and 2) increase in sign size from 4 square feet to 18 square feet for a directory sign on Route 29 . If you have any questions, please contact our office. Sincerely, Xiltd-416_-14-714 Amelia M. Patterson Zoning Administrator AMP/sg cc: Tim Lindstrom Marcia Joseph STAFF PERSON: Amelia Patterson PUBLIC HEARING: January 14, 1992 STAFF REPORT - VA-91-57 OWNER/APPLICANT: Paran United Methodist Church TAX MAP/PARCEL: 21/16 ZONING: Rural Areas ACREAGE: 6.778 acres LOCATION: On the west side of Route 29 North (southbound lane) , and the east side of Route 606, at Piney Mountain. REQUEST: The applicant seeks variances to allow two (2) signs to remain. These are as follows: 1. For a freestanding ("business") sign on Route 606: The applicant requests relief from Section 10.4 , to reduce the front setback from 75 to 12 feet. The sign is approximately eighteen (18) square feet, and is located at the only entrance to the Church. It provides the Church and ministers names, and the time of worship. It is a wooden sign with white background, and ground mounted external illumination. It is not visible from Route 29, and is therefore not subject to the entrance corridor regulations. The sign size and height does comply with those regulations. The applicant's justification includes: A. At the required setback, 75 feet back, the sign would have limited visibility. On Route 606 southbound, visibility is limited by the road curvature and vegetation on adjoining property. B. The sign is small and low, and as such complies with even the entrance corridor district; C. The sign design is unobtrusive and compatible with the architecture of the building. 2 . For a freestanding directional sign on Route 29: The applicant requests relief from Section 4 . 15. 3 . 1 (General Signs) and 30. 6. 5. 1 (Entrance Corridor) , to increase the size from four (4) square feet to eighteen (18) square feet. This sign provides the Church name with an arrow showing the two (2) turns to the Church entrance. It is also wooden with white background, and ground mounted external illumination. STAFF REPORT - VA-91-57 Page 2 It is visible from Route 29, and is subject to the entrance Corridor regulations. The sign height complies with those regulations. The sign size complies with the maximum for a freestanding "business" sign, which it would be, without the directional arrows. A. This property is on a hill above Route 29. The Church is set significantly back from Route 29, and has no entrance, as required by the special permit. This topographic difficulty as well as the building location, create a hardship for site identification; B. A four (4) square foot sign would not be clearly legible from Route 29 . C. The Church entrance on Route 606 is on a low volume segment. Most users will enter by turning off Route 29 onto Route 763 , with another quick turn onto Route 606. Legible directions from Route 29 are necessary. RECOMMENDATION: Staff concurs with the applicant's justification. There are several unique factors which produce hardships for site identification and directions. The signs are consistent with the proposed sign ordinance, and are compatible with the building. Because of its location on an undeveloped rural road with little traffic, sign illumination on Route 606 is recommended to be limited to early evening hours. This should not overly restrict a use of this nature. It is consistent with prior approvals, such as The Elks Lodge, and with the proposed Sign Ordinance. Staff recommends approval for cause: 1. The applicant has provided evidence that the strict application of the ordinance would produce undue hardship; 2 . The applicant has provided evidence that such hardship is not shared generally by other properties in the same zoning district and the same vicinity; 3 . The applicant has provided evidence that the authorization of such variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property and that the character of the district will not be changed by the granting of the variance. STAFF REPORT - VA-91-57 Page 3 Should the Board find cause for approval, staff recommends the following conditions: 1. Signs shall be limited to eighteen (18) square feet in area each; 2 . Signs shall be limited to eight (8) feet in height; 3 . Sign design shall remain compatible with the building.