City of Kewanee Zoning Board of Appeals met September 21.
Here is the minutes provided by the Board:
The Zoning Board of Appeals convened at 7:00 p.m. on September 20, 2017 Kewanee City Hall, Council Chambers. ZBA member Bracket was absent. For business, there was one variance petition application upon which to Conduct a public hearing.
Case Number 1:
211 Tenney St, Variance to allow an increase in size to the existing billboard.
Arnie Cordrey applied for a building permit to increase the width of the existing billboard by 4 feet.
The Subject Property:
Address: 211 Tenney St.
Legal Description: Lot 1, Ex W22 of N17, Block 1 Wileys Sub of Lots 47,48 & Pt37, 38, Original Town of Wethersfield, City of Kewanee, County of Henry, State of Illinois.
Location: West side of the 200 block of Tenney St.
Zoning: B3 Service & Wholesale District.
Dimensions: 72 feet North to South by 152.63 feet East to West, except the Northeast 22 feet by 17 feet, 10,615.36 Sq Ft area.
Existing Buildings or Uses: Empty lot with existing nonconforming billboard.
Existing Land Use Map: Low Density Residential / Commercial.
Proposed Land Use Map: Commercial.
The Surrounding Area:
Zoning District(s): Surrounding land is zoned B3 Business Service & Wholesale District to the North, South and East. The area to the West is zoned R2. Single-Family Dwelling District.
Uses of Land:
The surrounding land contains single family dwellings and an office building to the North.
Variance Requested:
A variance to allow the placement of the existing billboard sign to continue to exist in a B-3 District and to allow the increase in size from 12 feet wide and 11 feet tall to 16 feet wide and 11 feet tall by adding 2 feet to each side.
Background information:
On August 9, 2017 it was brought to my attention that the sign located at 211 Tenney St., which is zoned B3, had been modified to increase its overal size without first applying for a building permit. An inspection of the sign confirmed the report. A letter was mailed to Arnie Cordrey advising that the extensions to increase the size of the sign must be removed. Prior to receiving the letter, Cordrey had the sign painted and finished. Cordrey called me after receiving the letter stating he was not aware that he needed a permit to make the change to the sign and induired what he needed to do to correct his actions.
The City of Kewanee Zoning code states that billboard type signs are only allowed within Manufacturing Districts:
$ 155.142 Permitted Signs In Manufacturing Districts.
(A) Permitted Signs, M-1 Districts. In the M-1 Districts, the regulations governing signs in the B-2 Districts shall apply.
(B) Billboards and poster panels having a sign area not exceeding 300 square feet, provided the location of their sites and the limitations of the time of their use and all other terms and conditions thereof are first approved as provided in this subchapter.
('71 Code, S11-19-3) (Ord. 1413, passed 9-13-60) Penalty, see S 155.999
An inspection of the Street File for 211 Tenney St. yielded very little information. There is a building permit application, which was submitted and approved on February 18, 1997, for the existing billboard. This building permit application was approved by Kip Spear who was the HBZ Officer at that time. I do not see any evidence in the Street File for this address showing that a variance was requested or granted from the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow the billboard to be placed. If there is any other background information regarding how and why the billboard was allowed to be placed, it was not placed in the streetfile for this location.
After speaking with the City Attorney and City Manager, the City has no argument over the sign being allowed to remain and the increase in the size of the sign. The City does feel that Zoning Board action should be taken to make a recommendation to the City Council as to whether or not to allow the billboard and the increase in size. It should be noted that Mill Creek runs through the parcel in question and it exists within a flood hazard area. Because of this, the City's opinion is that signage, such as the billboard in question, is the only viable use for the property.
With consideration to the facts stated in this memo, the surrounding neighborhood, vision clearance at the intersection of Mill and Tenney St. and after speaking with the City Manager about this petition, the City can see no adverse effect on anyone if the variance is granted to allow the billboard to continue to exist, the expansion in size that was constructed and has no issues with the request.
The Public Hearing:
At 7:00 p.m. on September 20, 2017, the hearing on the variance request at 211 Tenney St. was held.
Arnie Cordrey 718 May St. Kewanee, Illinois, was not present to represent the petition for the variance request. The Zoning Board of Appeals agreed to hear the case based off of the facts in this memo
•Keith Edwards, Director of Community Development, read the facts of the case as noted in the background information above.
No others were present to speak in support of the variance petition.
No others were present to speak in opposition to the variance petition.
Recommendation:
After discussing the facts and testimony presented, the Zoning Board of Appeals recommends, based on the authority of S33.062 of the City Code, by a vote of six in favor of the application, none opposed to the application, one absent, that the City Council grant the variance petition as filed.
Specifically, the Zoning Board of Appeals recommends the City Council grant the following variance to Arnie Cordrey for the property at 211 Tenney St, as to the request to allow the existing billboard sign to continue to exist in a B-3 District and to allow the increase in size from 12 feet wide and 11 feet tall to 16 feet wide and 11 feet tall by adding 2 feet to each side.
Variance Requested:
A variance to allow the existing billboard sign to continue to exist in a B-3 District and to allow the increase in size from 12 feet wide and 11 feet tall to 16 feet wide and 11 feet tall by adding 2 feet to each side.
it should be noted that Edwards contacted Cordrey the following morning. Cordrey was unable to attend the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting due to a family medical issue.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.
http://www.cityofkewanee.com/ZBA%20Minutes%2020170921.pdf
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