This document provides information for a variance request to allow a 54-foot tall, two-sided 80 square foot roof sign for a new truck dealership and service center located at 2200 S. Division Ave. Staff is recommending approval of the variance request subject to 11 conditions. The variance is needed because roof signs are generally prohibited by the City's land development code. The applicant argues the taller roof sign is necessary to be visible from the curved portion of nearby Interstate 4.

1. Property Location: 2200 S. Division Ave.
(west side of S. Division Ave., between W. Ka-
ley and W. Grant Sts., east of I-4) (Parcel #02-23
-29-4509-02-141) (±8.8 acres, District 4).
Applicant’s Request: The applicant is re-
questing a variance to allow a 54-ft. tall, 2-sided
80 sq. ft. roof sign, where such signs are general-
ly prohibited in the City. The site is zoned I-G/T
and is located in the South Division neighbor-
hood.
Staff’s Recommendation: Approval of the
variance, subject to conditions in this staff re-
port.
SU M M A RY
Location Map Subject Site
Applicant
Bill Poston, President
Lamm & Co. Partners
Project Planner
Jim Burnett, AICP
Owner
John Maudlin, CEO
Tide RE Holdings, Inc.
Staff Report to the
Board of Zoning Adjustment
March 22, 2016
MAUDLIN INTNL. ROOF SIGN
2200 S. DIVISION AVE.
VAR2016-00024
IT E M #5
Public Comment:
Courtesy notices were mailed to property owners
within 300 ft. of the subject property the week of
March 7, 2016. As of the published date of this
report, staff has not received any comments from
the public concerning this request.
Updated: March 15, 2016
UNINCORPORATEDORANGECOUNTY
S.ParramoreAve.
W. Grant St.
Lake Angel
Ex– RR spur

2. Page 2
FUTURE LAND USE MAP
ZONING MAP
SUBJECT
PROPERTY
SUBJECT
PROPERTY
Lake Angel
Lake Angel
W. Grant St.
W. Grant St.

3. Page 3
PROJECT ANALYSIS
Project Description
The subject property consists of the former Merita Bread baking and processing facility, which has since been demolished. The
applicant/owner intends to construct a 77,600 sq. ft. truck dealership and service center on the site, with associated parking and
display areas, all adjacent to Interstate 4. The company, Maudlin International, currently operates a smaller facility two (2) blocks
to the south. As part of the development, the owner/applicant intends to erect a 54 ft. tall 2-sided 80 sq. ft. roof sign on the west
side of the new parts warehouse building. The proposed roof sign is prohibited and requires a variance to allow said sign.
The property is zoned I-G/T (Industrial, General, Traditional City Overlay) and is designated Industrial on the City’s Future Land
Use Map. Adjacent uses, zoning and future land use designations are per Table 1 below.
Previous Actions
1924: Northern portion of property initially platted as part of Poinsettia Park Subdivision.
1960: Remaining southern portion of property platted as part of Lake Holden Industrial Park 1st Addition.
1961: Merita Bread established on subject property (closed 2013).
10/2014: Property acquired by current owner.
8/2015: Demolition permit secured for site (DEM2015-00100), including relocation of existing Merita Bread rooftop sign to the
Morse Museum in Winter Park.
2/2016: Master Plan requested (MPL2016-00004) to construct new truck dealership and service center on the property.
Conformance with the LDC
The property is zoned I-G and is located in the Traditional City (T) Overlay, which denotes those areas of the City developed or
platted prior to WW2. The 386,111 sq. ft. (8.86-acre) lot is irregularly shaped; the property meets the minimum 10,000 sq. ft. lot
area size for I-G/T zoning.
Analysis
As previously noted, the owner/applicant intends to place a new 54-ft.
tall 2-sided 80 sq. ft. roof sign on the west side of the new parts ware-
house building and needs a variance to allow said roof sign. Per LDC
Section 64.202, the total sign allocation for the site is provided in Ta-
ble 2 at right.
Per LDC Section 66.200, a roof sign is defined as “a sign erected, con-
structed, or maintained above the roof of any building.” This is not to be
confused with a high-rise sign, which is “any sign placed higher than 30
feet above ground level on a building.” The proposed roof sign will be
located on the west side of the new parts warehouse building, immediate-
ly north of a proposed truck loading/unloading well. The sign will be
located atop a series of stacked cubes at a total height of 54 ft. , 24 ft.
above the adjacent building roof. Each of two (2) 80 sq. ft. logo signs
will face northwest and southwest to be visible from passing vehicular
traffic on east– and westbound I-4. The proposed truck dealership will
also have additional signs as depicted in Table 3 at right.
The need for the roof sign is predicated on the proposed roadway height of Interstate 4 to the west. The applicant has provided a
graphic illustrating the existing and proposed I-4 roadway elevations, showing the need for the proposed sign to be taller on the
curved portion of I-4 than might be otherwise allowed on a straight stretch of I-4. The Board has granted variances for a limited
number of roof signs in the past, specifically showing more leniency for wall signs that extend above the parapet (Boys and Girls
Table 2 Sign Allowances (I-G/T)
Building Frontages Linear ft. multiplier Total area
W. Kaley St. none none none
S. Division Ave. 549 x 2 1,098 sq. ft.
(no high-rise signs proposed, only the 2-sided roof sign)
Table 1—Project Context - Adjacent Properties
Future Land Use Zoning Use
North Industrial (INDUST) & (Across W.
Kaley St.) INDUST
I-G/T (Industrial, General,
Traditional City Overlay)
Mobil Station/Convenience Store &
Vacant FDOT Property
East (Across S. Division Ave.) INDUST I-G/T Industrial Warehouses & Yards
South INDUST I-G/T Industrial Warehouse
West INDUST and (across I-4)
Residential Low Intensity
I-G/T, R-1/T (One-Family Residential,
Traditional City Overlay) and P/T
(Public Use, Traditional City Overlay)
Interstate 4 &
Retention Ponds
Table 3 Proposed Signs
Sign Size (sq. ft.) Height
Roof Sign (2-sided) 80 x 2 = 160 54 ft.
Wall Sign - Facing I-4 270 ±26 ft.
Wall Signs - Facing W. Kaley
St. & S. Division Ave.
4 signs
= 370
≤26 ft.
Monument Sign unknown ≤18 ft.
Total ±800 sq. ft.

4. Page 4Page 4
Club offices) and for roof signs for historic buildings (Firestone Nightclub and Cameo Theater/Office Building). In this case, the
proposed sign will be fairly compact in size (80 sq. ft., compared to the larger wall signs located below 30 ft. in building eleva-
tion). Given the limited size of the proposed roof signs, staff supports the variance as proposed, per the conditions on page 8,
including that the “International” portion of the roof signs (against the colored logo) shall glow white at night.
SUBJECT
PROPERTY
AERIAL PHOTO
INTERSTATE 4
ULTIMATE I-4 AERIAL
X
Proposed Sign
Ex– RR spur
W. Grant St.
W. Kaley St.
Lake Angel

5. Page 5
SITE PHOTOS
Former Merita Bakery site, on west side of S. Division Ave., south of W. Kaley St.
Middle portion of former Merita Bakery site, on west side of S. Division Ave., south of W. Kaley St.
Southern end of former Merita Bakery site, on west side of S. Division Ave., south of W. Kaley St.
Ex– RR spur

6. Page 6
Existing Grade of I-4
Proposed Grade of I-4
Approx. Roof Sign Ht.
Existing Grade of Entry/Exit Ramps
54 ft.
ULT I M AT E I-4 GR A D E S
BOUNDARY
SURVEY

7. Page 7Page 7
PROPOSED SITE PLAN
W. Kaley St.
Ex– RR Spur
S.DIVISIONAVE.
PROPOSED
ROOF SIGN
MONUMENT
SIGN

8. Page 8
BUILDING ELEVATIONS W. SIGNAGE
54 ft.
30 ft.
80 sq. ft. 2 sided (facing northwest and southwest)
270 sq. ft.
ROOF SIGN
West side of building, viewed from I-4
Northeast corner of building, viewed from S. Division Ave.
ROOF SIGN
These signs would total ±370 sq. ft. of
1,098 sq. ft. of total sign area availableFormer Merita Bread roof sign (now in storage).

9. Page 9
VARIANCE FOR ROOF SIGN FOR NEW TRUCK DEALERSHIP
Variance to allow a 54-ft. tall 2-sided 80 sq. ft. roof sign, where roof signs are prohibited (per LDC Section 64.300).
Staff Recommendation: Approval of the variance, based on the finding that said variance meets the six (6) standards for approval
of a variance, subject to the following conditions:
1. Development shall be in strict conformance with all conditions and the site plans and elevations found in this report, subject
to any modification by the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) and/or City Council. Minor modifications to the approved
variance may be approved by the Zoning Official. Major modifications, as determined by the Zoning Official, shall require
additional review by the BZA.
2. All applicable City, county, state or federal permits must be obtained before commencing development.
3. Appearance Review shall be required during permitting to ensure compliance with the variance conditions.
4. Total sign area for the property shall not exceed 1,098 sq. ft., unless determined otherwise at time of permitting (based on
building frontage facing S. Division Ave.).
5. All wall signs on the proposed building shall not extend higher than the building parapet or be taller than 30 ft. on the build-
ing façade (lest they be considered high-rise signs, which would effectively reduce the total overall sign area by half).
6. Ground/monument sign shall not exceed 18 ft. in height, per LDC Section 64.228.
7. Signage for the corner outparcel (@ W. Kaley St. and S. Division Ave.) shall be determined at time of Administrative Master
Plan or Final Site Plan determination.
8. International portion of roof sign (against colored logo) shall glow white at night.
9. The tower signs must be limited to the "International" logo.
10. No displays may be placed within the open cubes. No moving or animated parts are permitted.
11. Plastic panel box (or “cabinet”) signs are prohibited. Internally lit signs must have metal panels on all sides. Acceptable sign
designs include metal front-lit channel letters (which may have polycarbonate letter faces); halo-lit channel letters (also
known as reverse-lit channel letters), and must have metal faces; front and back-lit channel letters (which have polycarbonate
faces and open backs); open lit channel letters; metal panel faces with push-through acrylic letters; raised metal or acrylic
letters; pin-mounted metal letters; neon tubes; or sign options of similar quality, considered with an appearance review. Exter-
nally lit signs are allowed. Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps are preferred.
Note to Applicant: The proposed variance only addresses the Land Development Code standards expressly represented in this
staff report and any relief to such standards as approved. The relief granted through the variance(s) is restricted to the subject
property as noted in the staff report and is not transferable to other parcels of land.
The next step in this variance request is City Council consideration of the Board of Zoning Adjustment's recommended action
(provided it is not appealed) at an upcoming City Council meeting. Possible City Council approval of this variance request does
not constitute final approval to carry out the development proposed in this application. The applicant shall comply with all other
applicable requirements of the Land Development Code, including any additional review requirements, and shall receive all nec-
essary permits before initiating development. Please contact the Permitting Services Division of the City of Orlando to inquire
about your next steps toward receiving a building permit.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

10. Page 10
Special Conditions and Circumstances
Special conditions and circumstances exist
which are peculiar to the land, structure, or
building involved and which are not applica-
ble to other lands, structures or buildings in
the same zoning district. Zoning violations or
nonconformities on neighboring properties
shall not constitute grounds for approval of
any proposed Zoning Variance.
S T A N D A R D S F O R
V A R I A N C E A P P R O V A L
Not Self-Created
The special conditions and circumstances do
not result from actions of the applicant. A self-
created hardship shall not justify a Zoning
Variance; i.e., when the applicant himself by
his own conduct creates the hardship which he
alleges to exist, he is not entitled to relief.
No Special Privilege Conferred
Approval of the Zoning Variance requested
shall not confer on the applicant any special
privilege that is denied by this Chapter to oth-
er lands, buildings, or structures in the same
zoning district.
Deprivation of Rights
Literal interpretation of the provisions contained in
this Chapter would deprive the applicant of rights
commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same
zoning district under the terms of this Chapter and
would work unnecessary and undue hardship on the
applicant. Financial loss or business competition
shall not constitute grounds for approval of any
variance. Purchase of property with intent to devel-
op in violation of the restrictions of this Chapter
shall also not constitute grounds for approval.
Minimum Possible Variance
The Zoning Variance requested is the mini-
mum variance that will make possible the rea-
sonable use of the land, building or structure.
Purpose and Intent
Approval of the Zoning Variance will be in
harmony with the purpose and intent of this
Chapter and such Zoning Variance will not be
injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise
detrimental to the public welfare.
Meets Standard Yes No 
Approval of the variance as requested would be viewed as being harmonious
with the purpose and intent of the Code. Continued use of the property within
Code requirements will promote the appearance and character of the immediate
neighborhood. Granting of the variance would not be detrimental to the public
welfare or injurious to other properties along the I-4 corridor or along S. Divi-
sion Ave.
Meets Standard Yes  No 
The variance requested is the minimum possible variance to allow placement
of a new roof sign on the new truck dealership (similar to a roof sign on the
previous Merita Bread factory).
Meets Standard Yes  No  
Denial of the variance would deprive the applicant of the right to identify a
new truck dealership adjacent to I-4, which is a major truck thoroughfare
through Orlando. Having adequate business signage is a similar right enjoyed
by others in a similar circumstance throughout the I-4 corridor.
Meets Standard Yes  No 
Approval of the variance as requested would not confer a special privilege,
based on the special conditions and circumstances of the property.
Meets Standard Yes  No 
The owners did not create the conditions of the ultimate I-4 expansion and ele-
vation, prompting the need for taller site signage adjacent to I-4.
Meets Standard Yes  No 
The property consists of the former Merita Bread baking and processing facili-
ty, which has since been demolished. The applicant/owner intends to construct
a 77,600 sq. ft. truck dealership and service center on the site, with associated
parking and display areas. The site is adjacent to Interstate 4, which is under-
going a major makeover, including elevating of travel lanes, which will require
higher roof signage than previously enjoyed by the former Merita Bread use.
V A R I A N C E : A L L O W A 5 4 - F T . T A L L 2 -
S I D E D 8 0 S Q . F T . R O O F S I G N , W H E R E
R O O F S I G N S A R E P R O H I B I T E D

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AP P L I C A N T ’S RE S P O N S E S F O R VA R I A N C E RE Q U E S T