Council committee denies sign variance to uptown business

The property maintenance and restoration committee of the Hillsboro City Council voted to recommend council deny a sign variance to an Uptown Hillsboro area business. 

Janie's Closet, located at the corner of North High Street and Beech Street, had requested a variance so that a sign could be hung on a structure behind the main business. Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt told the committee Thursday that the dimensions that were being requested for the sign did not fit the parameters for the city's sign ordinance. 

Additionally, the sign would hang over the sidewalk, which is prohibited by the ordinance. 

Committee chairperson Bonnie Parr said that she was afraid that kids in the area would try to knock the sign down and that it could become a danger, as it overhangs the sidewalk. 

Committee member Bill Alexander said, "I hesitate to tell them what kind of sign they can have."

Holt said, "Here's the issue: We have a sign ordinance, and it says you can't do this. I explained that I couldn't sign off on it because it doesn't meet the ordinance. We have to look at how large it is, if it's safe. The ordinance is to maintain some kind of standard. They want to supersede the standard. They want a sign that's special. But if we grant them a variance, then the next person who comes along wanting something that's special can point to that and say, 'You let them do it.'"

"Not that special isn't nice," Parr said. 

"No doubt it would be nice," Holt said. "But you can't do that. Every time you make a change, you stick your chin out."

Alexander made a motion to not grant the variance, which was seconded by Parr, and voted on 2-0. Committee member Peter Pence was not in attendance.