The Willow Glen Resident Planning Commission denies the request for a sign rule variance Dominic Giacalone told to stay within 5-foot height limit By Michelle Ku Dominic Giacalone finally appeared before the planning director on Wednesday, Dec. 9, but he didn't fare very well. Last month, Giacalone was placed on the agenda of a planning director's hearing, but he was never notified of the meeting. This time, he was notified, but the planning department denied the site permit amendment he was seeking. "We were successfully notified. That was a step in the right direction," quipped Giacalone, project manager for a proposed center at the corner of Willow Street and Meridian Avenue. Giacalone appeared before the planning director regarding a request for an amendment to allow him to retain an existing pole-sign and address some landscaping issues at the new center. Entering the meeting, Giacalone was aware that the recommendation of the planning department staff was for the denial of the permit, but he was hopeful of the outcome. "You never know in the director's hearing. We will state our case and if things don't go our way, we will definitely appeal." With the denial of the permit amendment, Giacalone plans to appeal the decision to the planning commission. He is in the process of filling out the appeal application and hopes to be placed on the agenda soon. The pole-sign issue has been ongoing. When construction of the new building began last year, the sign was not included in the original construction permits. "Before we started construction of the building, we had asked then [if we could keep the sign]. We were told by a city staff member we could keep it, and now we're being told to take it down," Giacalone says. Carol Hamilton, senior planner, says she is unsure if Giacalone's conversation regarding the pole-sign occurred or not. But she says that although developers do not always need a permit to retain a "legal nonconforming" sign, city codes demand a permit when a site is redeveloped in a project like Giacalone's. The issue is important to Giacalone because sign regulations have changed, and the sign is close to 20 feet tall woth a 67-square-foot surface--much larger than current rules allow. Based on revised regulations, the site is only allowed a 5-foot-tall sign with a size of 20 square feet, says city planner Phil Nameany. Troy Christy, owner of Image Suntan Center, a business that has signed a lease for space in the building, says street recognition from the sign is vital to the success of his business. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, December 16, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.