Commission approves larger sign for Dry Eco Garment Care after agreeing to nighttime dimming

The City Commission voted to allow Dry Eco Garment Care to install a much larger wall sign at its storefront on Collins Avenue, following testimony that a recently installed bus shelter reduced the shop’s visibility.

Planning staff explained that the property at 18660 Collins Avenue is zoned neighborhood business (B‑1) and the code limits a wall sign to 28.5 square feet. The applicant, represented in the meeting by Martin Lopez, asked the commission to permit a 96.4‑square‑foot sign on the upper parapet above the awning, arguing the larger sign would restore visibility lost to the bus shelter. Staff said the proposed sign would sit adjacent to an existing Miami Juice sign that is about 17.25 square feet.

"The applicant’s request is due to decreased visibility from the bus shelter," staff said in the presentation, adding that the variance met some but not all of the sign‑variance criteria in the code. No members of the public signed up to speak on the item.

Vice Mayor raised the need to see a compliant (smaller) rendering for comparison and cautioned about setting a precedent if one business was allowed a much larger, illuminated sign. Lopez told the commission the shop’s current sign had been illuminated 24/7 prior to falling into disrepair and asked that, if restricted, the new sign be dimmed at night rather than turned off entirely: "We are proposing dimming the light more at night to the point where we can still see that the business is there," he said.

Commission discussion focused on proportionality and uniformity with neighboring signs. After debate, the commission approved the variance 4–1 and amended the approval’s conditions to permit night‑time dimming (rather than a full shut‑off) and to require conformance with the other standard conditions in the staff report (compliance with approved plans, building permits, and applicable law).

Action and next steps: The commission’s approval allows the applicant to proceed with permitting under the amended conditions. Staff will post the conditions in the resolution and ensure the final sign plan and illumination levels meet the city’s administrative requirements.