Staff Report: DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT 2025-04 – 1701 ISLAND HIGHWAY

DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT 2025-04 – 1701 ISLAND HIGHWAY

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee recommend that Council, after giving notice, consider the following motion:

THAT Council authorize the issuance of Development Variance Permit (DVP) 2025-04 for 1701 Island Highway in accordance with plans submitted to the Development Services Department on October 22, 2025, subject to the development meeting all the Town’s Sign Bylaw regulations, except for the following variance:

1. increase the maximum sign area from 4m² to 7.40m².

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

THAT Council decline Development Variance Permit (DVP) 2025-04 for 1701 Island Highway.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to introduce Development Variance Permit (DVP) application 2025-04 for 1701 Island Highway. The DVP includes one variance to increase the maximum sign area for an existing freestanding sign to allow other businesses on the subject property to advertise their business.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION PROCESS:

Figure 1 below outlines the DVP application process. The red star identifies where the application falls within the process.

BACKGROUND:

The subject property is located at 1701 Island Highway and is currently zoned C-7 Business Park Commercial. The property, which is approximately 5,050m² (54,360 ft²) in size, contains three separate commercial buildings occupied by Serious Coffee, Excalabor Glass and several offices and a daycare.

The applicant is requesting to erect two new signs on the existing sign pole currently associated with Serious Coffee, located adjacent to the corner of Island Highway and Wilfert Road. However, a variance is required to increase the maximum sign area permitted for a freestanding sign.

ANALYSIS:

In 2009, Council approved DVP 2009-01 which allowed for a maximum height of 8.0 metres (26.25ft) for a freestanding sign. This existing height exceeds the maximum height currently permitted within the Sign Bylaw for a freestanding sign within the Local Commercial Sign District. Therefore, the existing freestanding sign is considered legally non-conforming.

The freestanding sign previously had an additional sign for Big-O Tires (Sign Permit 2015-12) while the business occupied the commercial unit that Excalabor Glass now occupies. This sign was approximately the same size as the sign that is currently being proposed for Excalabor Glass. However, the Big-O Tires sign was approved prior to the current Sign Bylaw coming into effect in 2018 and did not require a variance.

The Sign Bylaw allows for a maximum sign area of 4m². The sign area for the existing Serious Coffee’s sign is 3.7m², and the area of the two proposed signs combined is 3.7m² (see Attachment 2). As a result, the applicant is requesting a variance to increase the maximum permitted sign area from 4m² to 7.4m². Staff can support the requested variance to increase the maximum sign area because the proposed sign meets all other requirements for freestanding signs within the Sign Bylaw. Furthermore, it is not unusual for a commercial property with multiple businesses on site to have a freestanding sign advertising businesses in a location that is highly visible to the public.

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower ☐ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

There are no time considerations for the Town.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Applicant’s Letter to Mayor and Council
2. Plans – Houston Sign - 2025