By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Signage for a new hotel in Bowling Green got a mixed reception from the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday evening.
The new Home 2 Suites Hilton hotel is located at 1630 E. Wooster St., where the former Victory Inn had been demolished. The business came before the zoning board with four variance requests.
One was rejected, two were approved, and one was rendered moot.
The four requests were for sign variances – either because the proposed signs were larger than allowed, or numbered more than permitted.
“It sounds like we’re asking for a lot, but actually when you break it down,” the variance requests were reasonable, said Christopher Frasor, attorney for the project.
Frasor said the variance for a large sign on the east side of the hotel facing the highway is needed. Smaller signage would be nearly illegible from Interstate 75 and constitute a hardship for the hotel, he said.
“It’s critical that travelers recognize the logo as they are proceeding off the freeway,” he said.
The proposal called for the five-story Home 2 Suites to have a wall sign measuring 169.56 square feet, which would have exceeded the 112 square foot maximum allowable size sign.
“We’re actually quite proud of how the building turned out,” said Richard Atto, who represents the hotel. “We want to make sure people can see it and get to it.”
But some of the zoning board members objected to the large wall sign.
Rose Hess pointed out that neither Fairfield Inn nor Hampton Inn have overly large signs.
“Once you get people off the interstate, they are going to see your sign,” Hess said.
But Atto said that because the new hotel sits back off East Wooster Street that the larger sign is needed. The larger sign is proportionate to the large hotel, he said.
“We just want people to see the sign,” he said. Not allowing the sign would present a “severe hardship to the owner. It’s critical to the operation.”
Hess questioned that statement.
“I just don’t think that’s a hardship,” she said.
But Frasor pointed out that the zoning board last month approved multiple variance requests from the Speedway located just to the east of the new hotel.
“You granted several variances for their signs,” he said.
“It’s a critical part of the hotel,” Atto said. “It’s really a huge part of the marketing.”
The zoning board split 3-3 on the issue of the large wall sign. Voting to allow the variance were Judy Ennis, Hobart Johnson and Bob Waddle. Voting against the variance were Hess, David Pfleger and Chris Ostrowski. The zoning board is currently missing one member.
Since there was no approval, the variance was rejected.
The zoning board went on to approve two other variance requests for the hotel. One would allow the construction of a 74.77 square foot pylon sign that would be on the parcel to the west of the hotel. The other would permit the construction of four signs (three wall signs and one pylon), which would exceed the maximum number of three signs per business.
“I’m very, very disappointed in not having the first sign approved,” Atto said. “This is the most important sign on the building.”
The small wall sign on the $15 million investment would be “almost embarrassing,” he said.
Ennis, chairman of the board, advised Atto and Frasor that they could take the matter to the Wood County Court of Common Pleas if they wished.
In other business at the zoning meeting, the board rejected a variance for a larger sign than permitted for Trotter’s restaurant at 119 N. Main St.
Robert Hall, from Toledo Sign, explained the proposal for a projecting sign that would extend nine inches further than the 42 inches allowed in the zoning rules. Hall said similar signs had already been approved for Mr. Spots and Qdoba.
The existing Trotter’s sign, which is flush to the building, lacks visibility, Hall said..
“Unless you’re right in front of the business, it’s difficult to see,” he said.
Zoning board members Bob Waddle and Rose Hess voiced concerns about granting a variance, so Hall said he would amend the request to make the sign fit the standards.
The zoning board also granted a variance for a front porch which encroaches into the front yard setback at a home at 204 Eberly Ave.
