Planners agree to grandfather signs that violate 15-foot rule
Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/hl/News/24889/
Signs along U. S. Highway 412 will remain in limbo until the state highway department and the city know how much land they’ll need for the project to widen the highway to six lanes.
Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department will purchase $ 2. 3 million in right of way frontage ground for the 1. 6-mile project, between Washington Street and the state line.
The city will need up to a 15-footwide easement for its utilities, starting from the edge of the highway department’s right of way. The width of the easement will depend on how many utilities need to be relocated.
Right of way or easements have yet to be purchased, City Administrator David Cameron said.
A public hearing on the sign issue will be 4 p. m. July 8 during the planning commission meeting in the board room at City Hall.
Siloam Springs Planning Commission, in a specialcalled meeting Thursday, voted to allow, or grandfather in, signs that violate the city’s 15-foot setback requirement.
Commissioners also approved:
• Grandfathered in signs to remain as long as they won’t sit in the utility easement the city needs for its water and sewer lines.
• The city to pay to relocate signs in the utility easements.
• One-time assistance and incentives for business owners who will have to replace their signs because of the widening project.
• The owners to eliminate grass areas if they cannot be replaced without affecting parking or structures.
• Signs that must be replaced will be required to follow the current sign code.
Siloam Springs Board of Directors must approve what the planning commission voted on before the items go into effect. The city board will vote on the items July 15. The city’s sign code has several requirements: • Signs must sit at least 15 feet from the highway. • One sign is allowed per lot.
• Signs cannot be more than 40-feet tall or have more than 150 square feet of surface area.
• If a sign sits 90 feet from the highway, it can have 300 square feet of surface area.
Signs are not allowed to sit in utility easements.
The gas company will likely need utility easements also.
Affected business and property owners will soon receive letters from the city about the issue.