H-E-B’s request for a signage variance was approved 3-1 on July 26 by the Frisco Planning and Zoning Commission, which allowed for a larger display on the exterior of its Frisco store.
The city of Frisco has an ordinance that restricts the maximum height of wall signs on buildings and the maximum percentage of the wall length the sign occupies. The intent of the ordinance is to “discourage the construction of elevated building elements for the purpose of elevating signage,” according to city documents. In order for a variance request to be approved, the applicant must satisfy a certain criteria. The sign must not affect adjacent property; it must have a unique design; it must be needed because of a restricted area or typography unique to the property; and it must also improve public convenience, per city documents.
City staff noted in the report presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission that H-E-B’s request only satisfies two parts of the criteria. The staff did not believe an increase in size would provide for any improvement of public convenience and claimed there are no unique restrictions of the property. For those reasons, staff recommended denial of the request.
The ordinance allows H-E-B to place a 4-foot-tall sign that would take up 54% of the wall length. With the variance, H-E-B can now use a 6-and-a-half-foot-tall sign which takes up 90%of the nearly 37-foot long wall. San-Antonio based Comet Signs is working with H-E-B on signage and submitted a letter to Frisco Development Services outlining the reason for the variance request.
