COM 0011.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

$ exceeding 6 square feet.' The Department of Public Works considers a two-sided sign attached back-to- back as one sign. In order to have an adequately sized sign that meets the 6 s.f. limit, the sign would need to be a wall sign. However, the Department of Public Works considers a sign to be a wall sign only if a building permit for a wall is issued. For such a building permit, the wall needs to be in excess of 6' high. However, according to the zoning code, a wall over 6' is considered an accessory structure and must meet the front yard setback requirements.2 The zoning code requires a front yard of 20' in the RS-10 district,3 a distance which is impractical for the proposed project because of the porte cochere design. A stone wall 5'11" has already been constructed within the front yard setback area. Because this wall is less than 6', no building permit is required and the wall is not considered an accessory structure; therefore, this existing structure is legal. The applicant desires to attach letters to this structure to identify the business. The requested variance would be to permit a sign greater than 6 s.f. in the residential district. In this case, if measured as a ground sign where the entire wall structure is considered the sign, the variance would be for 46 s.f. 5 REASONS FOR VARIANCE 5.1 Hardship and Unique Circumstances Special exception should be granted to the Applicant for the following reasons: • Commercial Use Requires Sign Visibility. The long-term care center is a commercial operation permitted as a special use in a residential district. The project is amidst several health-related businesses that line Waianuenue Avenue in this area. To distinguish and identify a business in this busy context, the sign must be large enough to be readable from a sufficient distance in order for a driver to see the sign, read it, decide that they wish to turn, and signal their intentions to other drivers. Based on studies, a well-defined one-inch letter can be read from approximately 40'.4 For the proposed 8" lettering, the proposed sign would be visible from approximately 300'. At the posted speed of 35 mph, the proposed lettering size provides a driver barely adequate time (6 seconds) to read the sign and react. • Proposed Sign is Comparable in Size to Other Signs in the Vicinity. The following uses along Waianuenue Avenue in the vicinity of the project are all zoned RS-10 and have signs larger than the proposed sign (see Exhibit E): 'Hawaii County Code §3-26(a)(1). 'Hawaii County Code §25-65(a). 3Hawaii County Code §25-124(a)(2)(A). 'National Electric Sign Association, A Guideline Code for the Municipal Regulation of On-Premise Signs, 1991, p. 10. Request for Sign Variance 2 Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center