Peoria Standard

The Peoria Zoning Board of Appeals met March 10.

The Zoning Board of Appeals is a quasi-judicial group which rules on requests for variances from any section of the City Zoning Ordinance. This committee meets on the second Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall, 419 Fulton St.

Here are the meeting minutes as provided by the Peoria Zoning Board of Appeals:

ROLL CALL

The following Zoning Board of Appeals Commissioners were present: Chairperson Ed Barry, Henry Blackwell, Mark Anderson, Jerry Jackson, Zachary Oyler – 5. Absent: Richard Russo, Nathan Wagner – 2.

Staff Present: Kimberly Smith, Madeline Wolf

MINUTES

Commissioner Anderson moved to approve the minutes for the meeting held on December 10, 2015; seconded, by Commissioner Oyler.

The motion was approved viva voce vote 5 to 0.

SWEARING IN OF SPEAKERS

Speakers were sworn in by Staff Member Madeline Wolf.

REGULAR BUSINESS CASE NO. ZBA 3016 Public Hearing on the request of Saundra Wilkinson of O'Reilly Auto Parts, to obtain a variance from the City of Peoria Zoning Ordinance Section 17.11.c(2), Signs, to increase the maximum sign area and height, located at 3905 N. University (Parcel Index Nos. 14-29-178-017 and 14-29-178-016), Peoria, IL (Council District 4).

Senior Urban Planner, Kimberly Smith, Community Development Department, read Case No. ZBA 3016 into the record and presented the request. The petitioner requested a variance from Section 17.11.c.(2) of the City of Peoria Zoning Ordinance to allow the construction of a freestanding sign that exceeds the maximum allowed sign area and height. The proposed sign area totaled 138 square feet. The proposed sign height was 30 feet.

Ms. Smith provided the staff analysis as outlined in the memo.

The Site Plan Review Board recommended DENIAL of the proposed variance.

Darrell Franklin, representing the petitioner, spoke in favor of the request. Mr. Franklin said a larger sign would be safer because of increased visibility to motorists; and he said the request for the additional sign area was to display sales.

Commissioner Anderson requested more information from the petitioner in regard to the request reducing vehicle safety concerns.

Commissioner Blackwell asked the petitioner about the sizes of signs adjacent to O’Reilly Auto Parts.

With no further interest in public testimony, Chairperson Barry closed the Public Hearing at 1:09 p.m.

Commissioner Anderson asked Ms. Smith of staff’s position on the safety concerns raised by the petitioner.

Ms. Smith iterated staff response to the petitioner’s stance on the larger sign reducing safety concerns. Instead, staff said the requested sign size could create obstruction and increased vehicle safety concerns. Ms. Smith qualified her response was not based on a specific traffic study.

Commissioner Blackwell then directed his previous inquiry of the sizes of existing signs near the O’Reilly property to Ms. Smith.

Ms. Smith was not aware of approved variances for the existing signs in the area.

Chairperson Barry read the Findings of Fact.

Discussion: Commissioner Blackwell said he surveyed the property prior to the commission meeting and the adjacent signage seemed large. Blackwell was unaware of variances granted for the allowance of larger signs. Blackwell did not support the request to obtain a variance for this property.

Commissioner Anderson noted that two out of three of the criteria on the Findings of Fact were false.

Chairperson Barry referred to the denial of Case No. ZBA 3015; a request for a 108 square foot sign.

Motion: Commissioner Blackwell made a motion to deny the request as presented; seconded, by Commissioner Oyler.

The motion to deny the request was approved by roll call vote. Yeas: Barry, Blackwell, Anderson, Jackson, Oyler – 5. Nays: None.

CITIZENS’ OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION

There was no interest from the public to provide public testimony at 1:14p.m.

Chairperson Barry requested information from staff in regard to the Open Meetings Act (OMA) training for 2016.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Anderson moved to adjourn the Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting; seconded by Commissioner Jackson.

The motion was approved viva voce vote 5 to 0.

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting adjourned at approximately 1:16 p.m.