The Board of Appeals ruled it would be a hardship for CVS were it not able to mount a second wall sign on the building it has under construction at Riverdale Street and Morgan Road.
Construction on a new CVS/pharmacy on Riverdale Street in West Springfield has progressed significantly since this photo was taken in March.WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Board of Appeals has approved a variance that will allow CVS to put up a second wall sign at the building it is constructing at Riverdale Street and Morgan Road.
Building codes allow for only one wall sign at a business.
However, Daniel J. Finnegan, the attorney for Poyant Signs of New Bedford, argued that more than one wall sign is needed because the building will have frontage on three sides — on Pierce Street as well as on Riverdale Street and Morgan Road.
Finnegan argued that the situation meets the definition of a financial hardship because allowing only one sign would not alert people traveling down Morgan Street to the store.
“There are some unusual circumstances surrounding this lot,” Board of Appeals Chairwoman Lisa M. Beavais said.
“Businesses have to be appropriately identified,” board member Christine M. Kumiega said. “If there needs to be an amendment to the bylaw than so be it.”
Beauvais said the second sign is needed to allow the store to attract customers.
Finnegan has also argued that the second sign is needed for motorists who must safely navigate and enter the parking area from the three roads, all of which are heavily traveled.
The board voted 3-0 Monday on a motion by Beauvais to allow the second wall sign. It also agreed that support structures around a freestanding sign for both CVS and Bank of America will not be considered part of the sign as far as calculating the sign’s square footage goes. Not counting the supports, the signs total within the 50-square-foot limit allowed by bylaws.
The new CVS store will also have a wall sign on the Riverdale Street side of the building.