Gurnee planning board approves minor sign exception for Steak and Shake; neighbors raised brightness, clutter concerns

The Village of Gurnee Planning and Zoning Board on May 6 approved a minor sign exception allowing Steak and Shake to add signage on a fourth wall and to display up to 10 smaller wall signs at 670 Green Mill Circle East.

The request was presented by David Michael of SCS Branding, who said the rebrand removes awnings and replaces them with channel-letter signs on a previously unmarked elevation to improve on-site wayfinding for motorists and customers. Staff told the board the property had been administratively removed from an older plan-unit development’s sign standards and now sits in the straight C6 regional commercial district; the square footage of signage is within code, the exception requested was solely for the number and distribution of signs.

Why it mattered: board members flagged two concerns that shaped the debate — whether additional east-wall signage facing a neighboring hotel is necessary, and how bright the proposed LED signs will be at night. David Michael told the board the illumination will “be consistent with any code restrictions” and said the signs use diffusing materials designed to avoid light leaks and glare. He added the intent is visibility for drivers on-site, not long-range illumination.

Board discussion also included aesthetic objections from members who said multiple smaller signs risked visual clutter despite the removal of checkered awnings. Staff explained the applicant’s approach yields less total signage than some by‑right scenarios, and that administrative changes to pull the lot out of its old PUD were limited to sign standards only.

A motion to approve the minor sign exception passed on a roll-call vote announced as 3–2. The roll-call entries recorded in the transcript were Campbell: yes; Morgan: no; Nordan: yes; Sula: no; the board announced the tally as three yes and two no. The motion text on the record authorized a minor sign exception for additional wall signs up to 10 total for the property at 670 Green Mill Circle East.

What’s next: the board’s approval grants the minor sign exception; permit-level review and any applicable timing/brightness controls will proceed through staff and the village’s sign-code compliance process.