Loro Asian Smokehouse is a new restaurant, located on the west side of Montfort Drive. The restaurant has recently opened and has requested a Meritorious Exception to the Town’s sign ordinance in order to complete a proposed mural on the eastern façade of the building, facing Montfort Drive.
The proposed mural is defined as an attached sign by the Town’s sign ordinance. The proposed mural encompasses 80 square-feet in effective area (8 feet tall and 10 feet wide). This sign complies with the sign effective area requirements prescribed for attached signs, however, it exceeds the maximum logo height of 16 inches. The applicant is pursuing a Meritorious Exception to the sign ordinance based on the below code provision:
Town of Addison Code of Ordinances, Chapter 62 (Signs)
Section 62-33. – Meritorious exceptions.
(d)(3) The council may consider appeals on the basis that such regulations and/or standards will, by reason of exceptional circumstances or surroundings, constitute a practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship or on the basis that the proposed improvement although falling under the definition of a "sign," constitutes art that makes a positive contribution to the visual environment.
With the exception of a beverage being held by the tiger, the applicant’s mural is not commercial in nature, and instead highlights artistic elements of the restaurant. The smoke surrounding a tiger is representative of the Asian inspired cuisine and smoked food offerings. The color palette used for the proposed mural is consistent with the restaurants branding.
Staff recommends removing the beverage depicted in the mural as it is more commercial in nature and it may be interpreted as an alcoholic beverage, which would not be permitted under the applicable Special Use Permit (SUP).
With this recommended condition, Staff believes that the proposed mural constitutes art that makes a positive contribution to the visual environment of the surrounding area, meeting this Meritorious Exception approval criteria.
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