17SN0614
CASE NUMBER: 17SN0614
APPLICANT: Larae Tucker
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VIRGINIA
ANALYSIS Magisterial District: MIDLOTHIAN
7040 Hull Street Road
AND
RECOMMENDATION
Board of Supervisors (BOS)
Public Hearing Date:
JANUARY 25, 2017
BOS Time Remaining:
365 DAYS
Contact:
LARAE TUCKER
(214-601-5495)
Planning Department Case Manager:
DARLA ORR (804-717-6533)
APPLICANT REQUEST
Conditional use to permit an electronic message center (EMC) sign incorporated into a
freestanding sign in Community Business (C-3) and General Business (C-5) Districts.
An EMC sign incorporated into a permitted freestanding sign is planned. The applicant has
indicated the sign will display gas prices.
Notes:
A.Conditions may be imposed or the property owner may proffer conditions.
B.Conditions, site layout and sign elevations are located in Attachments 1 thru 3.
RECOMMENDATION
PLANNING RECOMMEND APPROVAL
COMMISSION
(12/20/2016)
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
While sign does not comply with the EMC Policy relative to its location
STAFF
in a prohibited area and distance from residentially zoned property,
many similar signs are in use throughout the county with no known
adverse impacts.
Providing a FIRST CHOICE community through excellence in public service
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Map 2: Comprehensive Plan (EASTERN) ROUTE 360 CORRIDOR PLAN
Classification: GENERAL COMMERCIAL/LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
The designation suggests the property is appropriate for community-scale and general commercial
uses including motor vehicle oriented uses and light industrial uses.
Map 3: Surrounding Land Uses & Development
Hull Street Rd
Turner Rd
Residential use within
Forestdale Subdivision
Commercial and
light industrial
uses
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PLANNING
Staff Contact: Darla Orr (804-717-6533) orrd@chesterfield.gov
Proposal
The ordinance permits an EMC, with approval of a conditional use, as a changeable copy sign to be
incorporated into a freestanding sign. The applicant requests approval of a Conditional Use to
incorporate an EMC into a freestanding sign for the redevelopment of the property for a
convenience store with gasoline sales. The sign would be located as generally shown on Exhibits A
and B (Attachments 2 and 3). The applicant has indicated that a portion of the proposed sign
would provide information on gasoline prices as an electronic numerical display. (Exhibit B,
Attachment 3)
recommendations on the placement of EMCs.
request would not comply with the EMC Policy regarding placement:
The sign would be located and visible along a corridor where the EMCs are prohibited (Hull
Street Road between Chippenham Parkway and Courthouse Road)
The sign would be located closer to residentially zoned properties than the Policy suggests
(1,000 foot separation where such signs would be visible from such properties)
The EMC Policy includes additional measures intended to reduce visual impacts of such signs. The
following chart provides an overview of the conditions acceptable to the applicant to mitigate the
impact of the sign on area properties:
Electronic Message Center (EMC) Component Overview
Requirements Details
Limited to numerical display as depicted
Copy Lines
/ƚƓķźƷźƚƓ Ћ͵ğ͵ ğƓķ 9ǣŷźĬźƷ .
Twice daily
Frequency of Message Change
/ƚƓķźƷźƚƓ Ћ͵Ĭ͵
Prohibited
Sequential, Flashing or Travelling
Messages, Bijou Lighting & Animation
/ƚƓķźƷźƚƓƭ Ћ͵ĭ͵Ͳ ķ͵ ğƓķ Ļ͵
Not exceed 0.3 foot candles above ambient light as
measured at a distance of 71 feet
Brightness
Require a photocell to adjust sign brightness, based
on ambient light conditions
/ƚƓķźƷźƚƓ Ћ͵Ņ͵
Numeric Display of Gasoline Prices
Historically, changeable copy signs displaying numerical gasoline prices electronically were
permitted without conditional use approval, under an interpretation by the Planning Director
finding them similar to the by-right permission in the ordinance for numeric time and temperature
displays. As a result, changeable copy signs displaying gasoline prices electronically did not have to
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meet the EMC Policy and the policy was not drafted with those in mind. Today, numerous
changeable copy signs displaying gasoline prices electronically exist in the County.
In September 2015, the County amended Article IV Division 6, Signs as a result of a United States
Supreme Court ruling which prohibited regulation of signs based on content. As a result of that
decision, no regulations can bcontent by ordinance or interpretation;
accordingly, electronic changeable copy signs for gasoline prices now require conditional use and
are, for the first time, subject to the EMC Policy.
In the near future, Staff intends to propose to the Planning Commission an amendment to the
EMC Policy that takes into account its new application to changeable copy signs for gasoline prices.
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FIRE SERVICE
Staff Contact: Anthony Batten (804-717-6167) battena@chesterfield.gov
This request will have minimal impact on fire and EMS.
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Staff Contact: Jim Banks (804-748-1037) banksj@chesterfield.gov
County Department of Transportation has no comment on this request.
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Staff Contact: Brian Lokker (804-674-2384) brian.lokker@vdot.virginia.gov
VDOT has no comment on this request.
UTILITIES
Staff Contact: Jamie Bland (804-751-4439) blandj@chesterfield.gov
The proposed request will not adversely impact the public water and wastewater systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Staff Contact: Rebeccah Ward (804-748-1028) wardr@chesterfield.gov
Environmental Engineering has no comment on this case.
REVITALIZATION
Staff Contact: Carl Schlaudt (804-318-8674) schlaudtc@chesterfield.gov
The project site is located in the Eastern Route 360 Revitalization Area (per the Comprehensive
Plan). The proposal represents the generally equivalent replacement of an existing pylon sign.
The Revitalization Office has no comment on the proposal.
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CASE HISTORY
Applicant Submittals
5/9/2016 Application submitted
Community Meeting
12/1/2016 No citizens attended
Planning Commission Meeting
12/20/2016 Citizen Comments
No citizens spoke to this request.
Recommendation: APPROVAL SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS IN
ATTACHMENT 1
Motion: Jones Second: Freye
AYES: Wallin, Sloan, Freye, Jackson and Jones
The Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will
consider this request.
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ATTACHMENT 1
CONDITIONS
Note:
The following conditions were recommended by both the Planning Commission and staff.
1. The EMC sign shall be located in accordance with Zoning Ordinance requirements and as
generally depicted on Exhibits A and B, provided by Blakeway Corporation last revised
July 5, 2016 and Cummings Signs dated October 3, 2016. (P)
2. Electronic Sign. The computer-controlled, variable message, electronic sign shall
conform to the following standards:
a. Copy shall be limited to a numerical display as generally depicted on Exhibit B
and shall not move but may fade;
b. The message or display shall be programmed to change no more than twice
every twenty-four (24) hours;
c. Sequential messaging shall be prohibited;
d. Flashing and traveling messages shall be prohibited;
e. Bijou lighting and animation effects shall be prohibited; and,
f. Brightness shall be limited so as not to exceed 0.3 foot candles above ambient
light as measured using a foot candle meter at a distance of 71 feet. The
computer-controlled, variable message, electronic sign shall have a photocell
that automatically adjusts the brightness according to ambient light conditions.
(P)
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ATTACHMENT 2
EXHIBIT A SITE LAYOUT
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ATTACHMENT 3
EXHIBIT B SIGN ELEVATION
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