By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A debate over signage for two new businesses selling chicken wings and sub sandwiches got a little spicy last week.
The Wingstop and Jersey Mike’s shops, at the southeast corner of East Wooster Street and Mercer Road, had already been denied a zoning variance for a free-standing pylon sign at the corner. The request was rejected after a tie vote by the board.
But on Tuesday, the business development director Ryan LaPointe and his attorney were back before the Bowling Green Zoning Board of Appeals to appeal the November decision of the board to turn down the variance request.
Instead of asking again for a variance, this request appealed the interpretation of the zoning code by Bowling Green Planning Director Heather Sayler.
While some of the zoning board members expressed sympathy over the sign issue, none of them agreed that Sayler misinterpreted the code.
The vote was 7-0 against the appeal, and LaPointe was told he could take the issue to court if he wished.
The Wingstop and Jersey Mike’s shops share a building, separated by a common wall. In such instances, the city’s zoning code allows each business a sign on the front of the building and another on the side of the building it occupies. The zoning code no longer allows tall free-standing pylon signs.
LaPointe’s attorney, Peter Millon, explained that because of the existing pylon signs along East Wooster Street, the owner was under the impression that a pylon sign would be allowed at his new business.
LaPointe acknowledged that he had “assumed” the businesses could use the pylon sign already at the corner that had been used by previous businesses there. He told the board that more than $2 million had been invested in the Wingstop and Jersey Mike’s shops, and the blank pylon sign is an eyesore.
“The building looks great. The sign looks like shit,” LaPointe said.
Zoning board member David Pfleger referred to paperwork filed by the sign company for the site, stating the pylon sign was not allowed.
LaPointe said he thought the pylon would be granted a variance in November.
“I was blown away that it didn’t pass the last time,” he said.
But some board members said when the city updated its zoning code in June of 2023, one of the changes reflected ongoing efforts to reduce sign pollution clutter along East Wooster Street.
City planners agreed that while more signage might be good for businesses, it’s not so good for the aesthetics of the community. For years the city of Bowling Green had been working to clean up the view for visitors as they enter the city from Interstate 75.
It was agreed in August of 2021 that signs intended to “brand” businesses and attract customers may be sending the wrong message about Bowling Green.
In order to be granted a variance, the petitioners must show how following the zoning code would create a hardship for them.
During the August 2021 meeting, a zoning board member, Rose Hess, questioned the hardships this posed for businesses, and read from sign regulations in the 2019 zoning code about the city’s appearance being marred by excessive and oversized signs.
“The city has determined that without adequate regulation and design standards, signs are a nuisance. The number of signs in the city is excessive and is unduly distracting to motorists and pedestrians, creates a traffic hazard, and in some places reduces the effectiveness of signs needed to direct the public.”
“As the appearance of the city is marred by the excessive number of signs and by oversized and poorly designed signs, both residential and business property values are adversely affected,” the ordinance continued.
“Therefore the number of such distracting signs ought to be reduced and signs permitted should comply with the standards of this code in order to reduce the aforementioned effects,” it stated.
In August of 2025, the Zoning Board of Appeals voted to prevent more sign pollution along Interstate 75.
QuikTrip, which is building a “travel center” on the east side of I-75, requested five sign variances for its site in the southeast corner of South Dunbridge Road and East Wooster Street, just to the west of the Holiday Inn Express and across the road from the Meijer gas station.
The zoning board rejected one of the five variances requested – involving a tall pylon sign, which is no longer allowed in the city’s zoning code update.
In that case, a representative of QuikTrip, Wes Plyer, explained to the zoning board the reason for the sign requests. The company, he said, “wants to make sure it’s not at a competitive disadvantage” with other gas stations along I-75 in Bowling Green – specifically Speedway – that have tall pylon signs previously allowed in the zoning code.
Plyer also said the signs provide “customer safety” at such a large truck stop site like QuikTrip. The signs meet the company’s national design standards and offer “brand identity” for the location, he added.
While zoning board members voiced support for “wayfinding” signs that make such sites easier to navigate, they agreed there need to be limits – and drew that line at new pylon signs that clutter the entrance to the city.
