Title
To authorize the special use of the property known as 3117 West Cary Street for the purpose of permitting certain signs, upon certain terms and conditions.
Body
O & R Request
DATE: May 23, 2018 EDITION: 1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Levar M. Stoney, Mayor
(This is no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor.)
THROUGH: Selena Cuffee Glenn, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Peter L. Downey, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development and Planning
FROM: Mark A. Olinger, Director, Department of Planning and Development Review
RE: To authorize the special use of the property known as 3117 West Cary Street for the purpose of permitting signage, upon certain terms and conditions.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To authorize the special use of the property known as 3117 West Cary Street for the purpose of permitting signage, upon certain terms and conditions.
REASON: The applicant is requesting a special use permit to authorize one sign mounted above a canopy, one projecting sign, five window signs, and a canopy sign, for a new home furnishings and textile retail store. A sign mounted above a canopy is a sign type currently not permitted by the Zoning Ordinance. The special use permit would also allow the signage associated with the building to exceed the maximum area requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION: In accordance with the requirements of the City Charter and the Zoning Ordinance, the City Planning Commission will review this request and make a recommendation to City Council. This item will be scheduled for consideration by the Commission at its July 16, 2018, meeting. A letter outlining the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council following that meeting.
BACKGROUND: The subject property consists of a 9,600 SF (.22 acre) parcel of land improved with a commercial building constructed, per tax assessment records, in 1950. The property is located on the south side of West Cary Street, between South Belmont and McCloy Streets, within the Carytown Service Center in the Near West Planning District.
The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a land use category for the subject property as Community Commercial. “Primary uses include office, retail, personal service and other commercial and service uses, intended to provide the shopping and service needs of residents of a number of nearby neighborhoods or a section of the City. As compared to Neighborhood Commercial, this category includes a broader range of uses of greater scale and intensity, with greater vehicular access and orientation, but that are also compatible with nearby residential areas (p. 134).
According to the zoning ordinance, an awning or canopy sign is permitted in the UB District. However, the current sign regulations do not permit sign mounted above a canopy. An awning or canopy sign “means a sign painted on or attached flat against an awning or canopy, which sign does not extend beyond the extremities of the surface to which it is attached.” The proposed sign is located above the existing canopy, which extends beyond the extremities of the surface to which it is attached.
The aggregate area of all signs located on a lot shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of street frontage nor in any case 100 square feet. In addition, no individual sign shall exceed the smaller of 32 square feet in area or such smaller sign area specified elsewhere in the sign regulations. The property has eighty (80) linear feet of street frontage. Therefore, the aggregate area of all signs shall not exceed eighty (80) square feet. The proposed aggregate area for the above canopy, projecting, and window signs is 121.07 square feet. The above canopy sign (87.81 square feet) exceeds the maximum area (32 square feet) for any individual sign.
Properties along the Cary Street corridor are within the same UB-PO2 district as the subject property. Properties to the south are located in the R-5 Single-Family Residential District. A mix of commercial and mixed-use land uses predominate the Cary Street corridor. A mix of single- and two-family land uses predominate the area to the south of the subject property.
FISCAL IMPACT / COST: The Department of Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any impact to the City’s budget for this or future fiscal years.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Staff time for processing the request; preparation of draft ordinance; and publishing, mailing and posting of public notices.
BUDGET AMENDMENT NECESSARY: No
REVENUE TO CITY: $2,400 application fee
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon Adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: June 25, 2018
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: July 23, 2018
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: None.
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES: City Planning Commission, July 16, 2018.
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
City Assessor (for preparation of mailing labels for public notice)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None.
REQUIRED CHANGES TO WORK PROGRAM(S): None.
ATTACHMENTS: Application Form, Applicant’s Report, Draft Ordinance, Plans, Survey, Map
STAFF: Jonathan Brown, Senior Planner
Land Use Administration (Room 511) 646-5734
PDR O&R No. 18-37
Recommended Action
Key Issues:
Retain on Consent Agenda
Move to Regular Agenda
Refer Back to Committee
Remove from Council Agenda
Strike Withdrawn ---- Continue to: