CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Size does matter, and when it comes to the Clarion Borough Zoning Code, smaller is better.
The Clarion Borough Zoning Variance Board denied a request for a variance in the size of two signs proposed for the new CVS Pharmacy now under construction on Main Street. New permits for smaller signs were issued a few days after the February 22 meeting.
“The sign was too large, and they didn’t prove a hardship,” said Housing and Zoning Officer Scott Sharrar.
The signs requested were 100 square feet. The signs would be attached to the Main Street and Seventh Avenue sides of the “front” of the building.
“We permit them to have 130 square feet in front of the building, and if a building faces two streets, they are allowed an additional 30 square feet in a C2 zoning district,” said Sharrar. “Normally they are allowed 160 square feet, but they were trying for signs over 200 square feet. They were about 20 square feet too much on each sign.”
CVS representatives called Sharrar the next day about what they would do to meet the requirements. A few days later, CVS submitted new sign plans for ones about 75 square feet each.
“When they first applied for the building permit, they wanted to make sure their building was going to meet all zoning ordinance requirements so that no variances would be needed,” said Sharrar.
“The signs aren’t included in the building permit; they require an additional permit. Their original request was for over 400 square feet of signs. They had signs all over the building, and I let them know there were too many, and they ended up cutting most of the signs out.”
The new signs will be about the same size as the one on the current CVS building, only about three inches smaller.
Sharrar said there are no other permits required for the building from Clarion Borough. However, street cuts or access approval comes through PennDOT.
Plans call for a concrete curb on Seventh Avenue with an entrance, while the previous occupant did not have a curb, and anyone could drive in anywhere on Seventh Avenue. There will be no entrance on Main Street, but there will also be an entrance/exit on Weaver Place. A curb will not likely be put along Weaver Place, but an entrance will be marked, also allowing greater flexibility for delivery trucks.
“They don’t think there will be any traffic problems with the arrangement,” said Sharrar. “We can have people pulling out of the regular intersections, and it will actually allow the borough to put a couple of extra parking spaces along Main Street. We will gain two or three metered spaces.”
