Peoria Standard

City of Peoria Zoning Board of Appeals met Aug. 13.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

A regularly scheduled Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting was held at 1:00 p.m., City Hall, 419 Fulton Street, Room 400, with Chairperson Richard Russo presiding and with proper notice having been posted.

ROLL CALL

The following Zoning Board of Appeals Commissioners were present: Richard Russo, Doug Draeger, Dorian LaSaine, Ryan Cannon – 4. Absent: Lon Lyons, Laith Al-Khafaji – 2.

Staff Present: Leah Allison, Megan Nguyen, Brandon Hayes, Kerilyn Weick

SWEARING IN OF SPEAKERS

Speakers were sworn in by Megan Nguyen.

MINUTES

Commissioner Cannon moved to approve the minutes for the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting held on Thursday, July 9; seconded, by Commissioner LaSaine.

The motion was approved unanimously viva voce vote 4 to 0.

REGULAR BUSINESS

CASE NO. ZBA 3068

Public Hearing on the request of David Rodatz of Hilton Displays, on behalf of Peoria Retail LLC, to obtain a Minor Variance from the City of Peoria Unified Development Code Section 8.3.10 Temporary and Permanent Signs, to increase the area of a menu board sign from the maximum allowed 30 square feet to 36.28 square feet, and to increase the height of two menu board signs from the maximum allowed 5 feet to 5 feet, 5.25 inches, for the property located at 1605 N. Knoxville Avenue (Parcel Identification Numbers 18-04-178-055 and 18-04-178-032), Peoria, IL. (Council District 2).

Senior Urban Planner Kerilyn Weick, Community Development Department, read Case No. ZBA 3068 into the record and presented the request to increase the area of a menu board sign from the maximum allowed 30 square feet to 36.28 square feet, and to increase the height of two menu board signs from the maximum allowed 5 feet to 5 feet, 5.25 inches, for the property located at 1605 N. Knoxville Avenue.

Staff does not object to the requested demands of the petitioner based upon the criteria for a minor variance with condition that temporary signs may not be added physically to or located next to either menu board sign.

1) The plight of the owner is due to unique circumstances.

2) The variation, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the locality or be injurious to the public or other property or properties.

3) The proposed variance represents the minimum deviation from the standards necessary to accomplish the desired improvement.

4) The conditions of the variances requested are not self-created.

5) The granting of the variation will result in a public benefit to the surrounding neighborhood and the City as a whole. The public benefit may include, but is not limited to, preservation or enhancement of desirable site characteristics or natural features or historic resources, design that enhances the surrounding area, economic development which may enhance the local economy, or efficient use of land as it relates to surrounding structures and services.

Chairperson Russo opened the Public hearing at 1:15pm.

Shawn Taylor provided a brief explanation of the case. He discussed that this is a branding issue for Starbucks. With the smaller signage, they would not be able to market all their products and would lose money. Also, the smaller size is not the standard size for Starbucks drive-through signs.

Commissioner LaSaine asked if the larger signage would impede vision of traffic. Ms. Weick responded that Public Works staff did not comment concern regarding size of sign. Mr. Taylor also advised that the location of the sign, to rear of building, would not present any threats to traffic.

In response to the commission, Ms. Weick summarized staff’s findings for the standards of approval and reason for the recommended condition.

With no further interest from the public to provide testimony, Chairperson Russo closed the Public Hearing at 1:19pm.

Discussion:

Chairperson Russo read the City of Peoria Unified Development Code Section 2.6.3.F. Standards for Minor Variations. It was determined by the commission that criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 were found to be true.

Motion:

Commissioner LaSaine moved to approve the variance, subject to compliance with the conditions made by staff; Commissioner Draeger seconded the motion.

CITIZENS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION

There was no interest from the public to address the Zoning Board of Appeals at 1:29PM.

ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Draeger moved to adjourn the Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting; seconded by Commissioner LaSaine.

The motion was approved unanimously viva voce vote 4 to 0.

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting adjourned at approximately 1:30pm.

http://www.peoriagov.org/content/uploads/2020/03/August-2020-ZBA-Minutes_1597435357_add.pdf