PRESENTER:
Applicant: NB Signs & Design
Owner: WBC Industrial, LLC
SUBJECT:
CS26-0176 Public hearing and consideration of a request by NB Signs & Design, on behalf of owner WBC Industrial, LLC, for an Alternative Sign Plan to allow seven freestanding multi-tenant monument signs to deviate from the established sign standards for property within the C-3 (Commercial District) currently addressed 827, 839, 851, & 863 IH-35.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Case #: CS26-0176
Applicant: NB Signs & Design
1229 Industrial Drive, Suite D
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Sandeigh Kennedy
(830) 627-9120
Owner: WBC Industrial, LLC
Staff Contact: Colton Barker
(830) 221-4274
CBarker@newbraunfels.gov
The subject property is an approximately 2.8-acre commercial development located along IH-35, just east of the intersection of Walnut Avenue and IH-35. The property fronts the IH-35 frontage road and Linde Avenue and is zoned “C-3” Commercial District.
The applicant, NB Signs & Design, is seeking approval of a proposed Alternative Sign Plan to allow seven freestanding multi-tenant monument signs to deviate from the sign standards for properties within the C-3 Commercial District. There is currently one freestanding monument sign located on the property along IH-35 advertising the overall development.
New Braunfels’ Sign Ordinance allows sign types and sizes based upon zoning district and specific street frontage. The property’s C-3 zoning and street frontage along IH-35 establish the applicable dimensional standards for freestanding signage and allows for alternatives to the proposed freestanding electronic-message pole sign - listed in the attached comparison chart.
The alternative sign plan process is intended to:
1. allow flexibility in creating alternative signage designs to complement a development’s unique characteristics;
2. increase sign area and/or height in lieu of multiple signs that would otherwise be allowed; and/or
3. allow additional signage due to unusual constraints associated with the property.
The Board of Adjustment can consider such requests within the context of a specific location and approval may be granted without the identification of a physical hardship.
PROPOSAL:
The requested alternative sign plan proposes the following:
Seven (7) freestanding multi-tenant monument signs with the following characteristics:
• Maximum sign area of 32.08 square feet per sign;
o Six (6) static tenant panels per sign, each at 4 square feet in sign area;
• Overall sign height of approximately 5 feet;
• Minimum setback of 15 feet from all property lines;
• Externally illuminated;
• Single-sided design; and
• Oriented perpendicular to IH-35, with a slight angle toward oncoming traffic to enhance visibility.
The proposed signs are intended to function primarily as wayfinding elements for individual rows of businesses within the development, rather than serving as identification signage for the development as a whole. The proposed alternative plan is designed to improve tenant visibility, assist motorists in locating businesses within the site, and provide a coordinated alternative to individual tenant signs that have contributed to nonconformities, clutter, and a haphazard presence of signage along the access roadway.
Staff notes that the city codes require a minimum 5-foot setback from the property line, and that no signage may block any required clear vision area or be located within any platted easements without authorization from the easement owner.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
The subject property is a single lot with the following street frontages:
IH-35: ~599-feet
Linde Ave: ~202-feet
Total Street Frontage: ~801 feet
Surrounding Zoning and Land Use:
East: C-3 - Commercial
West: C-3 - Commercial
South: C-3 - Residential Manufactured Home Park
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REFERENCE:
The request aligns with the following goals and policies of Envision New Braunfels:
• Action 1.2: Create plans for neighborhoods and transitional areas to maintain quality of life.
• Action 1.3: Encourage balanced and fiscally responsible land use patterns.
• Action 3.6: Pro actively provide a regulatory framework that remains business and resident friendly.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☒Economic Mobility ☒Enhanced Connectivity ☐Community Identity
☐Organizational Excellence ☒Community Well-Being ☐N/A
• Economic Mobility: Incentivize mixed-use developments and redevelopments in targeted locations.
• Enhanced Connectivity: Support and maintain a well-connected transportation network.
• Community Well-Being: Look for opportunities to reconnect the community by mitigating barriers to community connectivity.
ANALYSIS:
Staff notes the following regarding the proposal:
• Maximum Number of Signs - Section 106-14(a) permits one (1) monument sign per 300 feet of street frontage in the C-3 District. With approximately 801 feet of cumulative frontage, the property is permitted a maximum of two (2) monument signs, each not exceeding ten (10) feet in height and forty-eight (48) square feet in area. One (1) monument sign currently exists on the site.
• Additional Directional Signage - Section 106-14(b)(7)(g) allows qualifying multi-tenant developments to install one (1) directional monument sign at each intersection of public and/or private roadways within the development. These signs are limited to five (5) feet in height and thirty-two (32) square feet in area. The development contains five (5) access points, including three (3) from IH-35 and two (2) from Linde Avenue, which qualify for additional directional signage.
• Permitted Signage by Right - Because the property has frontage along IH-35, it is eligible for an IH-35 multi-tenant pole sign up to forty (40) feet in height and four hundred (400) square feet in area.
• Proposed Alternative Sign Plan - The applicant proposes seven (7) new freestanding monument signs in addition to the existing monument sign, resulting in a total of eight (8) monument signs on the property.
• Existing Signage Conditions - The site has experienced recurring code compliance issues related to nonconforming tenant signage. Due to the property's layout, IH-35 access roadway frontage, limited internal circulation and turnaround opportunities, establishing a coordinated and effective signage program has been challenging.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Alternative Sign Plan with conditions. While the proposal exceeds the number of monument signs allowed by the Code, the proposed signs are intended primarily for wayfinding and tenant identification rather than large-scale advertising. Staff finds the proposal addresses unique site constraints, improves visibility and navigation within the development, reduces the likelihood of future nonconforming signage, and serves as a reasonable alternative to larger pole signage otherwise permitted along the IH-35 corridor.
Should the BOA approve the proposed alternative sign plan, staff recommends the following condition:
1. No additional freestanding signage on the property is allowed.
2. The following temporary sign types will not be allowed on the property:
a. Inflatable signs and tethered balloons;
b. Pennants; streamers; flags; fluttering, undulating, or moving signs not part of a permanent sign and not a banner;
c. Beacons; and
d. Banners attached to walls.
RESOURCE LINKS:
• Chapter 106 Sign Ordinance; <https://library.municode.com/tx/new_braunfels/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH106SI>