§ 17.56.070. Variances.

The applicant for a sign permit may apply to the Board of Adjustment for a variance in the technical requirements of this chapter in accordance with the provisions of Section 17.80.030 'Procedure for applications of Board of Adjustment request'.

A.

Approval Criteria. Before acting on a variance request, the Board of Adjustment shall consider the following factors:

1.

The relationship of the requested variance to existing and potential uses and structures in the vicinity;

2.

The degree to which relief from the strict or literal interpretation and enforcement of a specified regulation is necessary to achieve compatibility and uniformity of treatment among sites in the vicinity;

3.

Such other factors and criteria as the Board of Adjustment deems applicable to the requested variance. No sign shall be permitted to be erected contrary to the size, location and appearance provisions of this chapter unless a variance is approved by the Planning Department in conformance with the following criteria:

There is something unique about the building or site configuration that would cause the signage permitted by this article to be ineffective in identifying a use or structure that would otherwise be entitled to a sign. The variance shall not be based on, or relate to, the sign copy.

B.

Findings Required. The Board of Adjustment shall make the following findings before granting a variance:

1.

That the granting of the variance will not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitations on other properties in the vicinity;

2.

That the variance is warranted for both of the following reasons:

a.

The strict or literal interpretation and enforcement of the regulation would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary physical hardship inconsistent with the objectives of this chapter;

b.

There are exceptional or extraordinary circumstances or conditions applicable to the site of the variance that do not apply generally to other properties in the vicinity.

C.

Conditional Granting. The granting of a variance may be conditioned on action by the applicant.

(Ord. No. 11-2011, 6-6-2011; Ord. No. 08-2015, 3-2-2015 )