TO: Zoning Board of Adjustments Members
FROM: Leslie Statler, Senior City Planner
DATE: 3/10/2022
SUBJECT:
title
ZBA 2022-005
Baptist Signage
C-3
end
BACKGROUND:
John Porter, Baptist Health Care, is requesting a variance to accommodate attached wall signage for the Baptist Brent Lane Campus. The request is to increase the combined amount of signage from 400 SF to 3,453 SF. The maximum allowed per the Code would limit the signage to 0.17% of the combined street front elevations. The proposed signage equates to 1.5% of the overall street front elevations.
There is a special circumstance inherent with the use as an emergency medical facility serving multiple communities. As this property is located along an interstate with limited access, increased visibility along the interstate corridor increases the response time for individuals seeking medical attention.
Additional consideration should be given to the distance the medical campus buildings are located from the arterial and interstate roadways. The Code allows for properties within Industrial districts located along a major arterial roadway to increase the attached wall signage based upon the distance the building is set back from the roadway. Although this property is not located within the industrial district, the use (hospital campus) consists of large buildings to encompass the needs of the facility.
It might appear as though the amount of signage being proposed seems to be excessive; however, the size of the sign face area is proportionate with the building façade. The signage proposed is also consistent with the signage regulations within Escambia County, from which Baptist requested a voluntary annexation.
For comparison:
Total building Street Front Elevations = 237,000 SF
Proposed 1.5% = 3,453 SF
Hypothetical 20% = 47,400 SF
Amount Allowed by Escambia County = 5,918 SF