9.8760 Approval Criteria for Variances. <br />The planning director shall approve, conditionally approve, or deny a variance, with findings <br />and conclusions thereon following a Type II process. Approval, or conditional approval shall be <br />based on compliance with all the following criteria: <br />(1) A strict or literal interpretation and enforcement of the specified regulation would result in <br />practical difficulty or undue physical hardship due to at least one of the following conditions: <br />(a) Size, shape, or dimensions of a site. <br />(b) Geographic, topographic, or other physical conditions on the site or in the immediate <br />vicinity. <br />(c) Street locations or traffic conditions in the immediate vicinity. <br />Economic considerations do not constitute grounds for granting a variance. <br />RESPONSE: <br />A strict or literal interpretation of the sign code creates a practical difficulty for my business due <br />to the following conditions: <br />(b) Geographic, Topographic, or Other Physical Conditions <br />Olsen Run Comedy Club is located directly across the street from the Hult Center, a City-owned <br />theater operating in the same zoning district, which has been permitted an electronic sign. Within <br />a half-mile radius, both the McDonald Theater and the Shedd Institute, also in the same district, <br />have similar digital signage. This concentration of electronic signage in the immediate area <br />creates a disparity in visibility and communication tools that directly affects my business. <br />Studies have shown that digital signage captures significantly more attention than static signage. <br />For instance, research indicates that digital signage captures 400% more views than static <br />displays. Additionally, digital signage has been found to increase customer engagement by 46%. <br />This increased visibility and engagement translate into higher recall rates, with digital signage <br />achieving an 83% recall rate compared to lower rates for static signage. Because neighboring <br />venues can display high-visibility event information, including images of performers, while <br />Olsen Run is limited to static text signage, we are at a significant disadvantage in capturing the <br />attention of foot and vehicle traffic. The inconsistency in permitted signage types limits our <br />ability to effectively inform the public about upcoming performances, a core operational need for <br />any live events venue. <br />This geographic inequity in signage permissions prevents Olsen Run from operating on equal <br />footing with neighboring competitors and constitutes a clear practical hardship under the <br />variance criteria.