SPAB approves larger sign for Bagels with Deli after debate over precedent and measurements

The City of Delray Beach Site Plan Review & Appearance Board on Jan. 28 approved an amendment to the Plaza Del Rey master sign program (PZ215-2025) to allow Bagels with Deli a larger storefront sign after the restaurant expanded its leased space.

City planner Jennifer Buse entered the application into the record and said the tenant had expanded from roughly 2,300 square feet to 3,518 square feet. Owner Juan Carlos Gavalong told the board the existing one-line sign had 21-inch letters and the applicant sought 40-inch letters, increasing the sign area “from 47 square feet to 69 and a half square feet.” Buse noted staff recalculated the change and said the amendment equates to about 82 square feet, a discrepancy the board discussed during deliberations.

The board’s review focused on three issues: the arithmetic used to determine allowed sign area, visual scale alongside larger tenants, and whether approval would set a precedent for other tenants in the “gray area” between roughly 3,500 and 5,000 square feet. Board members asked whether a future reduction in the tenant’s bay size would require the sign to be moved or reapproved; staff stated any configuration change would need new review and could require the applicant to return.

Gavalong said the size request was driven by the restaurant’s additional frontage and a new, trademarked logo. “We want to go to 40,” he said when describing the requested letter height and the proposed centered placement. Staff described the master sign program history (first adopted in 1996) and explained that tenants under 5,000 square feet are limited to a 21-inch maximum for a single line of copy unless a logo applies, in which case certain logo elements can be larger.

Board members weighed aesthetics against customer visibility. One member said the proposal would declutter the façade by removing an additional sign; another cautioned that granting the larger size could create precedent that would be difficult to deny for similar tenants. After discussion, the board voted by roll call: Brett Talbot — No; Nick Coppola — Yes; Cynthia Loyne — Yes; Wenske Villanue — Yes; Jose Alvarez — Yes. The motion passed 4–1.

The board’s motion found that the amendment to the Plaza Del Rey master sign program meets the criteria set forth in the city’s land development regulations. The decision applies only to this sign/amendment; staff and the board noted that other tenants seeking changes would have to apply for their own amendments.

Next steps: the board’s action approves the master sign program amendment for this sign; any separate sign permit or electrical/installation permits will proceed through normal city permitting processes.