207 S. Church Street - Denied Variances for signDECISION OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
RE: 207 S Church Street- Variance Requests
Tad Eudy
OBO: First Baptist Church
207 S Church St
Paris, TX 75460
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) 9.05-007 Variance to allow a sign that does not follow the adopted design guidelines.
2) 4.10.0044 Variance to allow a sign that is not made from an approved finish material.
3) 4.10.047(b)(1) Variance to allow a sign not specifically permitted by ordinance.
4) 4.10.047(b)(2) Variance to allow a sign that flashes or blinks.
The above -referenced requests were denied by the City of Paris Zoning Board of Adjustment
("Board") on 1/3/2023 by a vote ofayes,naY s and abstaining.
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On this date, the Board found that the requests did not meet the conditions set forth in the City of
Paris Ordinance, sections mentioned above.
Appeal: Any interested person wishing to appeal this Board decision is required to file a petition
for Writ of Certiorari in a district court, county court or county court at law within ten (10) days
of the date this decision is filed in the Board's office consistent with section 211.011 of the Texas
Local Government Code.
The Board of Adjustment hereby denies the variance request based upon the following findings of
fact.
BOARD RECOMMENDED FINDINGS
1. The request for variance is not in harmony with the general purposes and intent of Sign
Ordinance Regulations contained in Article 4.10; the Historic Preservation Ordinance
regulations contained in Article 9.05; and does not continue to protect the historic character of
the immediate vicinity of the Church and Kaufman Street intersection of the downtown area.
2. The denial of the request for a digital sign permit in this location does not prevent the
permitting of a new sign in conformity with regulations assuring the continued reasonable use
of the property for religious institutional purposes.
3. There are no special or unique condition(s) of restricted area, shape, topography, or physical
features that exist on the subject parcel of land, which are not applicable to other parcels of
land in the Central Area Downtown Zoning District, and which cause unusual and practical
difficulty or unnecessary hardship to the use of the property with a sign permitted by the
ordinance with the provisions sought here to be varied.
4. The hardship sought to be avoided is the result of (a) the applicant's own actions (self-imposed
or self-created), and (b) the applicant has not stated that there is an economic or financial
hardship for the digital sign to be installed in compliance with ordinance requirements. This
alone, is not justification for approval of the variance. Rather it is out of convenience and
personal preference for the church as stated in the request.
5. The provisions of the sign regulations that are sought to be varied, do not deprive the applicant
of reasonable rights to use the property that are commonly enjoyed by other properties in the
downtown area which are required to comply with these same ordinance provisions. A bad
precedent would be set by approving this request which can easily be avoided with the
installation of a conforming sign.
This decision was filed in the Board's office on 1/3/2023.
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Chairperson, Board of Adjustment
Secretary to the Board