Planning commission debates internally lit canopy signs for downtown, delays vote to Oct. 23

LEXINGTON, Va. — The Lexington Planning Commission continued its public hearing Sept. 11 on a proposed zoning change that would allow internally illuminated canopy signs in the C‑1 and C‑2 zoning districts, delaying a final vote until the commission’s Oct. 23 meeting.

The amendment — filed as ZOA 2025‑03 by applicant Francisco ("Frankie") Benincasa — would add canopy-mounted, channel‑letter signage to downtown sign rules. Commissioners spent more than an hour discussing maximum letter heights, overall sign area, whether letters must be "open face" channel letters or may include diffusers or backlighting, and technical illumination limits such as lumens and color temperature.

Why it matters: the change would alter the appearance of downtown Lexington by permitting a new type of externally visible lighting on storefront canopies, a form of signage the city has not previously regulated in this way. Commissioners said the rules will guide future applications and the Architectural Review Board (ARB) in deciding design appropriateness.

Most important details

- The commission agreed on preliminary dimensional guidance rather than a final ordinance text: commissioners favored a two-tier height limit tied to building height — roughly 12‑inch letters for buildings up to three stories and about 16‑inch letters for taller buildings — with an overall sign area placeholder in the 7½–10 square‑foot range. Those figures were discussed repeatedly but were not adopted at the meeting.

- Planning staff urged a requirement for "open face" channel letters as the default. As staff explained, "I would recommend you go ahead and say it has to be an open face channel letter" when first allowing the sign type, leaving font, color and finer styling to ARB review.

- Commissioners asked the applicant to supply specific illumination specifications before the next hearing. Staff proposed placeholder illumination limits to guide that request — roughly 600–800 lumens per letter and a warm‑white color temperature (about 2,700 K) — and noted that downtown streetlight fixtures are on the order of 1,300 lumens for context.

- Flashing or changing message signs would remain prohibited; the commission reaffirmed that traffic‑distracting illumination is not allowed and that ARB design guidelines and the city’s prohibited‑sign list still apply.

Applicant presentation and evidence

Applicant Francisco (Frankie) Benincasa showed mockups and scale boards for two letter heights and explained the channel‑letter construction he prefers: letters with a recessed illumination source inside the letter case. He provided measurements for two example boards (one roughly 12 inches high and one around 16–20 inches high across the board) and said manufacturers could provide lumen and Kelvin data if requested. "That is 12 inches by 67," he said when demonstrating the sample board scale in the chamber.

Staff context and examples

Planning staff presented photos of existing downtown signage for comparison, noting that the Wells Fargo letters downtown are about 10 inches tall and some gas‑station canopy letters are roughly 12 inches tall. Staff also supplied example illumination standards from other jurisdictions for commissioners to consider and reminded the group that ARB retains authority to judge color, font and proportional appropriateness under the design guidelines.

Dissent and concerns

Not all commissioners supported introducing the new sign type. One commissioner summarized personal reluctance: "I'm not comfortable with this style of sign really at all." Commissioners expressed two consistent concerns: preventing a suburban or "corporate" look in the historic downtown, and avoiding unanticipated glare or nuisance light for residents who live above downtown storefronts.

Outcome and next steps

Rather than adopt text at the Sept. 11 hearing, a commissioner moved to postpone final action to a date certain; the motion to continue the item to the Oct. 23 meeting passed unanimously. Planning staff said they will ask the applicant to provide specific lumen and Kelvin (color temperature) numbers and, if possible, a clearer night‑time mockup before the commission’s packet deadline for the Oct. 23 meeting. Staff will also supply ARB design guidelines and any additional comparative standards the commission requests.

What remains unresolved

- Final numeric limits for letter height and maximum sign area (the commission discussed 12/16 inches and areas near 7½–10 square feet as working figures).
- A formal lumen limit per letter and a confirmed Kelvin/warm‑white standard (staff proposed 600–800 lumens per letter and ~2,700 K as a placeholder).
- Whether to require open‑face channel letters only, or to allow both open‑face and diffused/backlit variants with ARB oversight.

The planning commission will revisit the item on Oct. 23; if the commission adopts specific ordinance language it will become a formal recommendation to city council, which has already expressed preference for a warm‑white light source on downtown signage in prior discussion.