8/28/14 - The Howell City Planning Commission has told a local business owner to apply for a variance if he wants to put a portable sign for his pizza shop near the road. John Kinnunen was told earlier this year to move a handmade temporary sign placed near his business, Dukeâs Pizza Plus in downtown Howell. City ordinance requires that all such signs be within 10 feet of a businessâ front door, but in order to put his sign near the roadway Kinnunen would need to place it 40 feet from his door. He approached the planning commission last week, asking them to either change the ordinance or give him special permission to place his sign. Community Development Director Erin Perdu tells WHMI there are two major concerns with changing the ordinance: the planning commission does not want to see a flood of new temporary signs from other businesses, and the sandwich boards typically have small print meant for pedestrians that can be distracting to motorists. However, the planning commission was more receptive to granting Kinnunen a variance, and he was encouraged to apply for one. He says he plans to apply, and hopes the planning commission will be sympathetic to the needs of a small, local business owner. Kinnunen previously tried strapping the handmade sign to the top of his delivery vehicle in order to continue advertising while still honoring the cityâs ordinance. (TD)
↧