Fox recently represented the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) on an application seeking variances for facade signage. Variance requests for façade signage can be tricky as sign ordinances typically operate on a "one size fits all" basis that rarely coincides with the building occupant's needs. Here, the zoning ordinance permitted a single sign on each façade with a maximum size for each sign of 20 sq. ft. CHOP proposed six façade signs on one side of the building that totaled nearly 100 square feet -- 79.68 sq. ft. for the main sign and 20 sq. ft. for the five smaller signs -- a nearly five-fold increase over the allowable area. Also, the design for each of the five smaller signs incorporated three colors, but Gibbsboro Township's ordinance only allowed a maximum of two colors per sign.
The signs incorporated logo elements that, over the years, CHOP had introduced at its outpatient locations throughout the Delaware Valley. The branding has been highly successful in identifying CHOP's facilities for parents of patients and other visitors, thus the branded signage at this location was extremely important. The Gibbsboro location is situated on a busy four-lane county highway and motorists only have a brief moment to identify the site and safely pull into the parking lot. The on-site manager, the Vice President of the outpatient locations and a sign consultant testified in support of the three variances. Despite the location being in a historic preservation district and the variances greatly exceeding ordinance requirements, the Gibbsboro Borough Planning Board approved the variances by a four to zero vote, recognizing the need for the facility's proper identification for safety purposes. While the application seemed headed for a denial at the start, the applicant's witnesses helped to carry the day with solid testimony that demonstrated the need for the size, type and number of signs.
Originally published on In the Zone
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