Approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign Permit, subject to the following condition:
1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance, as appropriate.

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Details of Action

Approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign Permit, subject to the following condition:
1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance, as appropriate.

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Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends the following actions on the required waivers from the Design Guidelines:
1) Deny the waiver to increase the maximum sign height to 19.67 ft
2) Deny the waiver to increase the maximum sign area to 440 sq ft.
3) Deny the waive to decrease the sign setback to 18 ft.

Based on the application and plans as submitted, staff recommends denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the requested sign permit and for the existing sign.

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1) The existing tenant directory sign at this commercial strip center recently replaced a large monument sign in the same location on this parcel. According to historical aerials, the previous sign was constructed between 2008 and 2010. There are no records of a request for a tenant directory sign at this location being heard or approved by the TTCDA during that time period.
2) The previous sign remained on site until being replaced by the new tenant directory sign, which Google Street View shows occurred between May 2018 and May 2021 (see contextual images). A request for a new tenant directory sign also has not been heard by the TTCDA.
3) The applicant is seeking approval for address numbers and individual panels to be added to the existing sign structure. However, since the tenant directory sign itself was never heard by the TTCDA, it is included in Planning staff's analysis and recommendations.
4) Tenant Directory Sign:
a. The sign is located approximately 18 ft from the right-of-way line as measured on KGIS. The
TTCDA Design Guidelines require signs to be a minimum of 20 ft from the right-of-way, so
the sign needs to be shifted closer to the parking lot if it is to remain. Otherwise, a waiver
would be required to reduce the minimum signage setback required. Staff comments below
show the overall size of the sign is in question, the reduction of which would help the sign
location meet this requirement, so staff cannot support this waiver.
b. The sign consists of stucco walls extending to the ground and bounded by treated wood
trim on the sides of the sign, capped with a wood roof. The sign is quite large, with an area
of approximately 464 sq ft.
c. Tenant directory signs are governed by Section 4.2 of the TTCDA Guidelines, Subdivision and
Planned Development Signs. This section states that these types of signs are to be
computed using a sign's message area, the overall structure of a sign is excluded from
calculating its size, and all sides of the sign shall be used in calculating the total sign area.
d. The existing tenant directory sign's message area comprises 220 square feet (136"W x
233"H) on each side, for an overall area of 440 sq ft. The sign structure is 19.67 ft tall.
i. At 19.67 ft, the sign is taller than the 12 ft maximum and a waiver to increase the sign
height maximum by 64% would be required.
ii. At 440 sq ft, the message area of the sign exceeds the 200 sq ft maximum and a waiver to
increase the sign message area by 220% would be required.
iii. Due to the magnitude of the waivers needed pertaining to the sign size, staff cannot
support either waiver. To do so would set a precedent for increasing signage size in the
area that would not meet the intent of the TTCDA Guidelines. The size and width of the
sign, placed so close to the right-of-way, is out of character with the area and the scale is
too large for the development. Since the building is located so close to the street, the
buildings signs are close to passersby. Additionally, the height and width of the sign
placed as such blocks visibility of the building from Hardin Valley Road, so staff believes
the businesses would benefit more from the removal of the tenant directory signage.
iv. To come into compliance with one or the other of the Guidelines:
1. If the existing 11.5 ft sign width is used as a guide, the sign message area could be 17 ft
tall. The applicant could lower the roof of the sign or remove the bottom 2 ft of the
sign, which is not visible from the road due to the bushes.
2. If the existing 19.67 ft sign height is used as a guide, the sign message area could be 10
ft wide and meet the sign size requirement.
f. The sign would be illuminated with screened, ground-mounted lights. No light specs have
been provided to determine compliance with TTCDA sign lighting standards.
5) Individual panels and address numbers:
a. The proposed individual panels are to be brown vinyl with white lettering and would be
connected to the sign structure via treated wood risers. The risers are 1.5" in depth and 3.5"
in height. The panels would be 12" in height and 27" wide. Each slat would feature the
business name of the tenants in this commercial strip center. The proposed panels offer a
uniform font and color scheme that aligns with the architectural color palette.
b. There are 9 names proposed for the tenants currently housed in this strip center. The
future tenant of the one remaining vacant structure would need to have its business name
added to a panel on the sign in a separate application should this request be approved.
c. The address numbers would be directly mounted to the wood frame at the top of the sign.
The numbers would be plastic, formed letters measuring 7" H x 27" W in the same shade of
brown as the proposed panels.