Panel discusses taller signs near west interchange

WHERE TO STOP

I’ve got a car dealership closer down the line and I’ve got another car dealership that will blow a gasket if they don’t get allowed that same sign.”

Doug Krogmeier, FM Building Director

FORT MADISON – A discussion Tuesday night about a possible sign variance revealed that Casey’s is interested in putting up a large outlet on the city’s west side.
A spokesperson for the firm working with Casey’s joined the city’s Planning and Zoning panel to discuss the options for signage for a location just east of Huffman Welding and Machine, Inc. near the 6000 block of Avenue O.
City Building Director Doug Krogmeier said the company hasn’t officially committed to the project, but is interested and he has seen some plans.
“It’s a big site. It’ll have a truck stop on the back side,” he said Tuesday. “But they haven’t committed to anything, they’re just looking right now.”
The P&Z panel was holding a discussion on allowing taller signs near the bypass interchange at Hwy. 2 and 61 on the city’s west side.
Some of the renderings Casey’s provided to the city, along with a letter as an inquiry on a variance, were 120 feet and 100 feet tall.
City Building Director Doug Krogmeier said signs of that height would allow the business to be seen for up to 6,000 feet around the interchange.
Jeff Laubach, a project manager with Schmidt, Beck, and Boyd Engineering sat in on the meeting with the planning and zoning board.
He said the two options were 100-foot signs with different size signage on the poles. The size of the signs on the pole would dictate the height they would need to be seen a certain distance over trees and other obstacles
“They’re willing to go with the smaller signage because, if they went with the bigger signs, they would have to go up to 110 or 120 feet to be able to see the bottom of the sign,” he said.
The panel got into heavy discussion about how far into the city the new sign allowances would be beneficial.
Krogmeier referenced Mt. Pleasant’s new Casey’s signage on the interchange at 34 and 218. “They allow up to 100 feet and a 1,000 square foot sign,” he said. He said that intersection there is so tall they allowed for some extra height to be able to see over the bypass,” he said.
“We’re really trying to let them get over the trees and get to the bypass. To me, if Fort Madion went to 100 feet and stopped, there’s always a variance option for taller signs in our sign code that could be looked at.”
He said almost everyone would be covered in that location if the city allowed 100-foot signs. He said the 1,000 square foot limit is a massive sign and the city may not need that big of an allowance. He suggested maybe a 400-foot sign on poles.
“We’re not approving billboards here. We’re approving a property specific location,” Krogmeier said. He added that they would also be for advertising on-site only.
He said the city would be creating a district just for highway signs near the bypass.
Panel member Matt Emmett said he wasn’t in favor of the city allowing that height of signs further into the city and the allowance be only for businesses within a certain distance from the interchange.
“For the record, I’m still against this for all of highway business. I would like to see it done for the intersection only. I don’t like the idea of these going all the way down highway business,” Emmett said.
“We’re a four-person (board) and, whatever happens happens, but I don’t like that idea.”
I don’t want to see them all the way to ShopKo. It makes sense for the bypass business, Aesthetically, I don’t want to see them farther than that.”
Emmett said then you run into the possibility of some businesses signs blocking out other businesses and it’s not good for that business sector away from the interchanges.
Krogmeier said he would like to possibly see a radius designated from the center of each interchange northbound and southbound.
Panel member Savanna Collier said that makes sense, but it will require some discussion to determine where that line is drawn.
Krogmeier agreed that will be tough to draw the line.
“I’ve got a car dealership closer down the line and I’ve got another car dealership that will blow a gasket if they don’t get allowed that same sign,” he said.
“Or you shorten it up to 2,500 feet and neither one gets included and now it’s literally just Merit (Auction), this potential Casey’s, and a few other things that could go out on that current ground.”
Krogmeier said he would create some options around an interchange highway sign district and bring those back to the group to consider at their next meeting.