BZA denies request for larger wall sign at Legacy Point storage facility

The Lancaster County Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday denied a request from Legacy Point Indian Land LLC to allow a second wall sign totaling 95.32 square feet at a storage facility on Charlotte Highway, ruling the application failed to meet the four variance criteria.

Staff told the board the Unified Development Ordinance caps wall signage at 75 square feet and that the applicants previously pursued an administrative appeal about square footage and retail classification. Laura Temple, presenting for the applicant, said the building is approximately 100,000 square feet and that the structure sits roughly 400 feet behind the highway, partially blocked by a strip mall; she argued the requested 95.32-square-foot sign would make signage proportionate to the building’s scale. "The building's 100,000 square feet, so it is a substantial building," Temple said.

Board members questioned whether the new sign would replace existing signage and where it would be placed; the applicant said it would go on a currently blank side of the building and that the variance sought addresses size only. After discussion the board voted on each of the four statutory variance findings and recorded disagreement on all four, concluding the application did not show extraordinary or unique conditions, would not be limited to this property, would not be unreasonably restrictive if the ordinance were applied, or would avoid substantial detriment to adjacent property or the public good. The chair announced the variance was denied and staff was directed to prepare the written order.

The denial ends the current request; staff noted applicants may pursue other remedies such as an amendment under the incoming UDO but said those options were not available to the applicant at this time. The public portion of the hearing had no speakers signed up to oppose or support the request.