The property is located at the southeastern corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 75 and Exchange Parkway. The property to the north, across Exchange Parkway, is zoned Planned Development PD No. 58 Shopping Center SC. The property to the east is zoned Planned Development PD No. 21 Garden Office GO. The property to the south, across Exchange Place, is zoned Single-Family Residential R-4. To the west, across U.S. Highway 75, the property is zoned Planned Development PD No. 54 Corridor Commercial CC.
The property is currently zoned Planned Development PD No. 21 Garden Office GO. The applicant is requesting to amend the Development Regulations for a portion of the Planned Development to allow a pole sign with an electronic message board as the sign face.
The attached Sign Location Map shows the proposed location of the pole sign. The attached Elevations and Development Regulations show the specifications of the sign, including the sign face dimensions. The sign is proposed to be 40 feet in height with 150 square feet of copy area for each of the two sign faces.
Currently, the subject property has an eight-foot-tall monument sign. The Sign Control Board approved a request to increase the height, copy area, and structure area for the existing sign in 2013.
The Allen Land Development Code allows pole signs within 100 feet of U.S. Highway 75. However, pole signs are limited to commercial/retail districts, such as Shopping Center SC, Local Retail LR, and Corridor Commercial CC. In these zoning districts, developments are permitted to have a 20-foot-tall or 30-foot-tall pole sign depending on the subject property's size. Pole signs at 40 feet tall are exclusive to gas, food, and lodging uses in any zoning district along U.S. Highway 75.
While the subject property is within 100 feet of U.S. Highway 75, it has a base zoning of Garden Office GO. The ALDC identifies in part that this zoning district is "... intended for low-rise office uses not dependent upon retail trade or retail traffic for their operation." In this zoning district, the freestanding signage is limited to a six-foot-tall monument sign.
In summary, the applicant is requesting to remove the existing eight-foot-tall monument sign and replace it with a 40-foot-tall pole sign. The Planned Development Amendment request has been reviewed by City staff, and it is staff's interpretation that the applicant's request is a substantial deviation from the currently adopted ordinance and intent of the base zoning district. Therefore, Staff recommends denial of the request.
For additional information, the applicant has provided the attached letter explaining the reason for the requested deviation.