Sweetgreen and Postino are two new restaurants, located at the southwest corner of Belt Line Road and Montfort Drive. Sweetgreen is nearing completion, while Postino is still under construction. It was determined during the sign permit review process that the request did not comply with the Town's sign code. The property owner, Northwood Development Group, is requesting a Meritorious Exception to the Town’s Sign Ordinance in order to utilize an existing pole sign on site for the new restaurants.
The existing pole sign is defined as a detached sign by the Town’s sign ordinance. The sign was initially designed and constructed for a single-tenant pole sign and the property owner is requesting to convert it to a multi-tenant pole sign. A multi-tenant pole sign must be 20 feet in height and have an effective area of 72 square feet, with the prescribed sign cabinet dimensions of 6'10" wide by 11'6" high by 12" deep, and dual sign supports. Additionally, the setback requirement is 20 feet from the adjacent right-of-way curbs.
The request includes a reduction of the sign height to 17 feet, a reduction of the overall effective area to 33 square feet, and a reduction of the overall sign cabinet dimensions to 6’-0” wide by 5’-6” high by 12” deep. The sign would utilize the existing single masonry wrapped support, rather than the required dual supports. The existing sign does not meet the required 20-foot setback and the following exceptions are also requested; to allow an 8’-6” setback from the curb of Belt Line Road and a 14’-7” setback from the curb of Montfort Drive. 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.
Staff believes that the hardship criteria of the Meritorious Exception requirements is met for the existing detached pole sign. The detached pole sign has existed on site since the 1980s and has served as a single-tenant sign for several restaurants that have occupied the site. In May 2022, City Council approved Special Use Permits (SUP) to allow the division of the building for two new restaurant concepts, while generally retaining the overall site layout. The applicant is requesting to utilize the existing sign as a multi-tenant sign without modifications to the height, effective area, cabinet dimensions, or setbacks. Strict compliance of the sign ordinance would require the property owner to construct a new, larger sign, that would interfere with other existing site improvements, including parking and emergency access.
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