Board denies additional signage requests for new gas‑station project, criticizing piecemeal approvals

A sign representative for a new gas-station and related businesses presented requests for additional wall signage and decorative design square footage at two locations before the Warren Zoning Board of Appeals. Board members repeatedly criticized the approach of adding signage incrementally rather than presenting a single, complete package for approval.

Members said the property has appeared multiple times for variances and that granting more signage without a full plan encourages piecemeal changes. One member said the business owner should attend hearings rather than delegating to the sign vendor. Another board member described the proposals as meeting the bar for tasteful design but said the petitioner had not demonstrated practical difficulty required for nonuse variances.

The board voted to deny both requests by roll call. The chair advised petitioners to contact the building department to explore next steps or to submit a consolidated sign package in the future.