HomeMy WebLinkAbout437-BADATE: February 3,2000
TO: Board of Adjustment
FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: Request for variances to the regulations, for an owner identification sign in a
residential zoning district. The proposed sign would be 70 square feet instead of the
required 50 square feet. The sign would also have an intermittently illuminated
reader board.
FILE: 437-13A
STAFF REPORT
Calvary Baptist Church at 3650 Dowlen Road wishes to install a 15 foot tall owner
identification sign which will be set back 15 feet from the front property line. The sign will
set on a pylon 8 foot above grade. The church wants a 7' x 10' sign for a total sign area of
70 square feet. The ordinance was recently amended to allow a maximum sign area in
residential districts of 50 square feet. Prior to 1999 only 20 square feet was allowed.
Internal illumination is also now allowed, whereas prior to 1999, it was not permitted. The
sign would also have an intermittently illuminated reader board. The ordinance states that
signs shall not have flashing lights, any type of intermittent illumination or revolve in any
mariner.
The City of Beaumont is presently studying an area of west Beaumont - which includes the
subject property - concerning a sign overlay district, The City Planning Commission and the
City Council have participated in several workshops to create the overlay district. One of
several proposals is to allow only monument type signs and not to permit pylon signs. The
church now has a brick monument sign in front of the property at 3650 Dowlen Road.
The applicant has the burden of proof to show that conditions A, B and C for a variance have
been met.
Exhibits are attached.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
Notices mailed to property owners 17
Responses in Favor . Responses in Opposition
Fittz & Shipman
INC
Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors
January 14, 2000
City of Beaumont
Planning Department
801 Main Street
Beaumont, Texas 77701
Attention: Murray Duren
Senior Planner
Reference: Request for Variance
Sign Ordinance No. 99-53
Calvary Baptist Church
3650 Dowlen Road
Dear Mr. Duren:
On behalf of our client, Calvary Baptist Church, please find attached our application for a variance
to the subject ordinan-ce. We, wish to appear before the Board of Adjustments on February 3,
2000.
We respectfully request a variance to the 50 square feet minimum sign area. The proposed
church sign is 70 square feet (see attached dlrawing). Also the proposed sign has a "message
board" on it which could be considered intermittent illumination. The sign area. shown as "God
Loves Everyone" would be changing to transmit messages of the church's activities.
We feel, that these various requests would not be contrary to the public's interest and wou](1
enhance the church's public identity.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
submitted,
R
chments
Bo Crawford
24
E OF %%t
0 0
• to,
J0
OL
6706,9
CITY OF BEAUMONT
PLANNING DIVISION
F D
JAN 1 '4 2000
440 181h Street, Suite A 9 Beaumont, Texas 77707 * (409) 832-7238 * fax (409) 832-7303
VARIANCE SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FORM
BEAUMONT, TEXAS
(CODES SECTION 30-37 E.3)
The Board of Adjustment has the power to grant variances where the following listed conditions have been met.
Indicate how your application meets each of these conditions in the space following each condition, (The
applicant has the burden of proof to demonstrate that all three of the conditions necessary for a variance
have been met).
Except as otherwis ' c prohibited, the Board is empowered to authorize a variance from a requirement of the Zoning
Ordinance when the Board finds that all of the following conditions have been met:
CONDITIONA: That the granting of the variance will not be contrary to the public interest,
See Exhibit "A"
CONDITION B: That literal enforcement of the ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship because
of exceptional narrowness, shallowness, shape topography or other extraordinary or exceptional physical situation
or physical condition unique to the specific piece of property in question. "Unnecessary hardship" shall mean
physical hardship relating to the"property itself as distinguished from a hardship relating to convenience, financial
considerations or caprice, and the hardship must not result from the applicant or ownees own actions,
See Exhibit "A"
CONDITION C: That by granting the variance, the spirit of the ordinance will be observed and
substantial justice will be done.
See Exhibit "A"
I HEREBY ATTEST THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, MY REQUEST MEETS THE
CONDITIONS STATED ABOVE.
Applicant's
Date: January 14, 2000
EXHIBIT'A'
I.
1 CONSISTENT' WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST (CONDITION A)
The purpose of the slightly large, illuminated sign is to make it easier for church,
members and other patrons of the community to read the two lines of 10"'
changeable letters from the street.
Reading the name of the church and the other information contained on the
changeable sign will be of value not only to church members, but also to persons
within the community and throughout the city who may be looking for a church
affiliation or those who maybe interested in a particular church, activity.
2. LITERAL ENFORCEMENT: AN UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP (CONDITION B)
Although Calvary Baptist Church covers nineteen acres, the location, of the
church offices is such that the signage variances are necessary to provide better
access to its information.
It is also important that the sign be 8 feet off the ground in order to prevent
vandals or pranksters from damaging the sign. Having illuminated sigh also
discourages vandalism,
Requiring a smaller sign will create an unnecessary hardship. in that the sign
cannot be read at night or in inclement weather. Also, the posted speed limit of
45 miles per hour would require motorists to slow down in order to read the sign.
This could cause traffic accidents,
3. SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE (CONDITION C)
If the variances are granted, the spirit of the ordinance will have been
maintained. The church respectfully submits that it is very much in the interest of
all persons in the community that the attached sign be used; that it not be
available to damage by vandals, that it be illumined for easier reading, that it
carry sufficient information to inform the Baptist community and citizens of
Beaumont as to the times and other details of the church's activities.
In summary, while, the variances are slight,, the benefits to the Baptist community and the
citizens of Beaumont will be substantial.
CALVARY�.
BEAUMONT
A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH
rrii.r sYN•r N iY• •W NYNN• YY} : rY
rr r M M •.rr+ .•.
MYY••.W ♦ •r
«•YiY «` rr «Y • !i K
«Yii•r. '«� *•.rrri rN «r «i .••r!i !'« �.«.. ««:N••r
`" ��y� ,.t"+-n%�r�, �w� t \�• {� LC:+="' 'fs �i"i"° �:¢7�,�,,.��y:, •y'�','.arch.�n:
oil
t "l
♦ ,� „ � .;fie � ^�
•
� T
r
ie � Y
x
"yF 1
y 0
..t
m
.
1�A IFOLSOM DR. _. ...
M1N
xolZrw LIKE RExEmm.
KIA,
ffiX 437-BA: Request for a variance to the sign regulations for an owner
NORTH
identification sign in an RS (Residential Single Family Dwelling) district, to allow a 70
square !foot sign
Instead of the 50 square feet allowed by ordinance.
Location: 3650 Dowlen Road
Applicant: Fittz and Shipman, Inc. for Calvary Baptist Church
SCAB
111=200'
°
WESLEY UNITED'.METHor)IST CHURCH' t
LOCAMON OF
PROPOSED SIGN
V
(u(upp
�i
CALVARY
ov BAPTIST CHURCH
° 714 It
°s
{ qY
m
.i
fV1
Y.M.0 A.
t,
r=% M.
Z
Li
'
-
OFFICE
DEVELOPMENT "
SITE
BARRINGTON HEIGHTS
++•
py
°..
GENERAL INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES
APPLICANT:
INN91991
STATUS OF APPLICANT:
lKelffauffla
LEGAL DESCRIPTION:
EXISTING ZQNING:
PROPERTY SIZE:
EXISTING LAND USES:
SURROUNDING LAND USES:
NORTH: Wesley United Methodist Church
EAST: Hillebrandt Bayou
SOUTH: DD#6 ditch and office development site
WEST: Dowlen Road, YMCA teruus courts and
commercial tract
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
OTHER PHYSICAL
FEATURES:
STREETS:
Fittz, and Shipman, Inc.
Calvary Baptist Church
Consulting engineer
3650 Dowlen Road
Pail of Tax Roll Tract No. 54-D, Plat D-26, H.
Williams Survey, Ab-56, Beaumont, Jefferson
County, Texas.
RS (Residential Single Family Dwelling)
11.2 acres
Church and four other church related
buildings
"C" - Minimal flood hazard zone
SURROUNDING ZONING:
RS (Residential Single Family Dwelling) District
RS
RM-H (Residential Multiple Family Dwelling -Highest
Density) District
RS and GC -MD, (General Commercial -Multiple Family
Dwelling)
Neighborhood Growth Unit (originally a
Growth Reserve/West Beaumont oil field)
None
Dowlen Road is a major arterial with a 100'
wide right-of-way, a divided and raised
median and two lanes northbound and two
lanes southbound.
DRAINAGE: Storm sewers, ditches, bayou
GENERAL INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES continued
WATER:
SANITARY SEWER
SERVICE:
FIRE. PROTECTION:
Existing
Existing
Fire protection is provided by Station #8 and
Station #9.
ADEQUACY OF SERVICE: Services are adequate.