BZA approves wall-sign variance for Aspen Dental at Lakeshore Parkway

The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustments on April 2 approved a variance to allow a second wall sign on the side elevation of the building at 275 Lakeshore Parkway for Aspen Dental.

Joe Ware of Anchor Sign, representing Aspen Dental, told the board that customers have missed the clinic because the front wall sign is obstructed by trees and the slope of the site, and the monument sign is partly blocked by parked vehicles and shrubs. He noted other tenants in the center had been granted multiple wall signs — for example, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Cookout and Chipotle — and proposed a side-elevation sign matching the existing front sign’s size so patients approaching the rear and side parking could identify the dental clinic.

The board opened public comment; none spoke. A board member moved to approve the request, another seconded, and the board voted to grant the variance. The representative thanked the board and said he would follow up with any requested permit filings. The board approved the proposal based on the visibility constraints described and the precedent of multiple signs for neighboring businesses.

The applicant may now proceed to apply for signage permits consistent with the variance and any sign regulations enforced by the city’s planning or building department.