Complaints ignite zoning appeals

By Cheryl Chumley

Published: July 7, 2008

Mr. Fast Fuels Owner: Tear down this sign.

That's the underlying message of Prince William zoning staff to the owner of a redeveloped food and gas mart on Old Bridge Road in Woodbridge, who allegedly ignored county code by opting for a red, white and yellow striped sign.

Citizens complained.

"Residents of the area brought their concern about the colors incorporated into the canopy and fascia signs to the attention of the zoning administrator," background paperwork for the Board of Supervisors reads. "The prevailing question was whether or not the color scheme applied to the canopy and fascia was permitted."

Fascia signs are those that are fixed on the outside of a business, usually above the display window. Subway sandwich shops, for example, display a fascia sign above the store's entryway.

In response to community concerns, the zoning administrator reviewed the special permit use that was granted to the Fast Fuels owner and found the store's "canopy and fascia signs were in violation of (code) and the signs would have to be brought into conformance," according to board agenda documents.

Conformance, the administrator said, called for removal of the "multicolor striping around the fascia of the quick food store and the canopy, while retaining the approved the text and flag logo on each of those structures," agenda documents continue.

So the colors go; the logos stay.

The owner, in turn, appealed. Supervisors will decide the outcome today, but staff has issued an analysis of support for the zoning administrator's decision.

"The special use permit requires the canopy and fascia to be white in color, and the canopy has remained white through the several owners that have occupied the property," documents to the board read.

A telephone call for comment placed to the sign applicant listed on the board's documents was not returned. But Nick Evers, the county's zoning administrator, said the special use permit has always made clear the terms of the signage and the county was now just "carrying [the requirement] through."

Supervisors are due to hear the appeal sometime after 2 p.m. today at the McCoart Building.

Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.