Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

VA-12-05-029 — Premier Exhibitions, Inc.

Request: Variance in C-2 zone to allow variances for wall signage and awning signage as follows:

1) Wall signage: allow 398 sq. ft. of copy area in lieu of 115 sq. ft..; and 2) Awning signage: allow 52 sq. ft. in lieu of 18 sq. ft.

(NOTE: This case is a result of Code Enforcement action)

Decision: Approved

Hearing: The tenant of this space is commonly referred to as The Titanic Experience. It serves as a museum that holds guided tours and dinner shows. The sign in question was painted on the building more than 4 years ago by a renowned local artist prior to the current owner acquiring the property.

The original variance request was for 638 sq. ft. of wall signage, which included the 588 sq. ft. Titanic mural and a 50 sq. ft. Titanic Experience sign.

The applicant modified their request. The new request was for 398 sq. ft. of wall signage. The applicant proposed to paint over roughly 37 percent of the mural and remove the other Titanic Experience sign. Along with this the applicant proposed to remove 3 existing awning signs and replace it with one central awning sign, measuring 52 sq. ft. in size.

During the hearing Susan Godorov, Vice President of the ETC, spoke in opposition to the variance request. The ETC is a group of 15 businesses and stakeholders up and down the International Drive Convention Center District. Ms. Godorov was concerned about the precedent that the variance would set and assured the BZA that other businesses along International Drive would want the same variance request.

Doug Gehret, President of the ETC, also spoke in opposition to the variance request. Mr. Gehret echoed the concerns of Ms. Godorov.

The applicant presented several other shops and store fronts along International Drive that had several murals painted on their buildings. Staff noted that each of the examples shown by the applicant were located north of the subject property and were also within the city limits of Orlando.

BZA discussion ensued. The BZA went over the merits as to what should be considered a sign versus what should not be considered a sign. Several board members mentioned they were satisfied with a sunset provision and this case had unique circumstances that would be easy to distinguish from new applications wanting the same type of variance. *