Variance #1233 - 2345 King Avenue North - Sign Variance - The applicant is requesting a variance from 27-705(b) requiring a maximum sign area of 32 square feet and a sign height no taller than 8 feet above grade to allow a sign height of 16 feet, a sign width of 10 feet, and a sign area of 90 square feet per side in a Residential Professional (RP) zone on Lots 1-5 & Lots 10-12, Block 1 of Justiss Subdivision, a 2.11-acre parcel of land. PA Prospects, LLC, is the owner and Matt Robertson is the agent.   Presented by Dave Green, Planner II.
 

Staff recommends conditional approval of the proposed variances. Staff is recommending 6 conditions for the variance request:

1. The variance is for a maximum sign height of 16 feet and 10 feet wide. No other variance is intended or implied by this approval.
2. The variance applies to Lots 1-5 & Lots 10-12, Block 1 of Justiss Subdivision.
3. The proposed sign structure will be located and oriented in substantial conformance with the submitted site plan. Minor adjustments to the site plan are allowed and may be required.
4. The applicant will apply for and receive approval of a sign permit within one 1 year of the Board of Adjustment approval.
5. Failure to begin or complete actions required by this approval within the time limits set forth shall void this variance.
6. These conditions of variance approval shall run with the land described in this authorization and shall apply to all current and subsequent owners, operators, managers, lease holders, heirs and assigns.

OWNER: PA Prospects, LLC
AGENT: Matt Robertson
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lots 1-5 & Lots 10-12, Block 1 of Justiss Subdivision
ADDRESS: 2345 King Avenue West
CURRENT ZONING: Residential Professional
EXISTING LAND USE: Professional Offices
PROPOSED USE: Professional Offices
SIZE OF PARCEL: 2.11 acres

None

There have been four variances granted in the immediate neighborhood.  All four were sign related, one for sign height from 30 feet tall to 40 feet tall, one for 2 free standing signs in a shorter distance of street frontage than what is required, one for a sign square footage increase from 175 square feet to 250 square feet, and one for a sign square footage increase from 175 square feet to 228 square feet.
 

NORTH:	Zoning: Residential Professional (RP) Land Use: Residential, rental properties and owner occupied
SOUTH:	Zoning: Community Commercial (CC) Land Use:Qdoba, Shopko, Costco
EAST:	Zoning: Controlled Industrial (CI) Land Use: Lithia Auto Dealership
WEST:	Zoning: RP Land Use: Residential Duplex rental units

The applicant is requesting a variance to replace an existing sign on the property that is 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide to a sign that is 16 feet tall and 10 feet wide.  This proposed sign will allow the applicant to have a sign with multiple business names on it for the office spaces available to lease.  The majority of businesses desire the opportunity to have a sign near a street frontage to advertise the business and also help clients find the business. The current sign size limits the ability to advertise the businesses that occupy the property.
 
King Avenue West from the I-90 exit to South 32^nd Street West is 6 lanes with a center turn lane at intersections.  It carries between 28,000 and 29,000 vehicles a day. During the months of November and December, it can reach about 40,000 vehicles a day.  The posted speed limit is 35 miles an hour, and with 3 lanes of traffic traveling west, and 3 traveling east, there are many things a driver needs to pay attention to.  This property also has only one entrance into it from King Avenue West that is one lane into the multi-tenant building. This development is designed to have multiple professional office tenants in the building and each business would like to be able to have a sign to help people locate them.  A sign id intended to alert drivers of stores and services available in the buildings where the sign is located.  With the amount of traffic and speeds which people are moving, a sign needs to be easily visible and large enough to be quickly read.  There are a large number of signs along the King Avenue West Corridor that are very large and easily read in different zoning districts. Some have received variances to have a larger sign. 

Residential Professional zoning has a very limited sign size since it is a buffer zoning between housing and other heavier traffic businesses, and also is sometimes in neighborhoods that are primarily residential.  The corner of King Avenue West and South 24^th Street West is one of the busiest intersections in the City of Billings.  This Residential Professional zoning sign size makes it difficult to draw people’s attention to the offices on this parcel of land.   The existing sign structure, which was installed in 1997, is 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide with a total sign area of 32 square feet on each side.  The proposed sign structure is 16 feet tall and 10 feet wide with 90 square feet of sign face available on both sides.  With the amount of traffic at the intersection of two major streets in Billings, a 32 square foot sign on a 6 lane road with up to 29,000 vehicles a day is not readily visible to those looking to find a specific office or use. 
 
Planning staff has reviewed this application and is forwarding a recommendation of conditional approval for the variances based on the determinations for review as provided within this report and similar variances granted by the Board of Adjustment. Staff finds that the proposed variance would provide the applicant similar rights that are enjoyed by other property in the neighborhood. Four similar sign variances have been granted. There are other properties in the area with larger signs than are currently allowed by the respective zoning districts where the property is located.

Staff is recommending conditional approval of the proposed variance.