HomeMy WebLinkAboutA019 - Request to initiate Zoning Text Amendments regarding Signage Regulations of "CGS" Convenience General Service ZoneITEM #:19
DEPT:P&H
October 27, 2026
Staff Report
KWIK STAR REQUEST TO INITIATE ZONING TEXT CHANGES TO SIGNAGE
REGULATIONS IN THE DESIGN STANDARDS OF CONVENIENCE GENERAL SERVICE
ZONE
BACKGROUND:
On October 13, the City Council forwarded a request from Kwik Star to modify the sign
regulations in the “CGS” Convenience General Service Zone design standards. In the
attached letter, Kwik Star requested two text amendments: one for extension of special use
permits and one for sign changes. This report addresses the second part of the request.
The request asks for a modification of the sign standards in Section 29.810(12) to generally
allow for:
To allow one additional wall sign,
To allow one additional monument sign,
To allow for additional sign area for incidental signs, and
To allow to an electronic message sign as part of a monument sign
The requests are described in greater detail below:
1) WALL SIGNS:
The current code states a limit of a wall sign area for each building, including 16 square feet
for a sign and up to 70 square feet for a sign facing an arterial street.
The request specifically asks for the number of allowed walls signs on a building to be
increased from the current two signs per tenant space to three wall signs. Kwik Star
asks for the cumulative total of 86 feet to then be divided by three signs.
The standard for the maximum number of wall signs is intended to control the appearance of
building/wall signage to avoid buildings displaying large excessive amounts of signage in
residential areas and to avoid the appearance of a large scale commercial area. In the case of
fuel canopies, signage on the side of a fuel canopy would be categorized as a wall sign, since
a canopy is classified as a structure.
Kwik Star believes the three street frontages are unique and warrant an additional sign.
While Staff can support three signs, Staff believes allowing additional signs that could
1
be on the canopies versus the buildings is not desirable.
2) NUMBER OF MONUMENT SIGNS PER LOT:
The request asks for an increase in the number of allowed monument signs per lot
from the current one sign per lot to an allowance of two signs per lot for sites with
frontage on two or more arterial or major collector streets.
The current standards aims to control the number of monument signs to one sign per site to
avoid the appearance of multiple monument signs on a single site with multiple sign faces that
could face or appear in or near a residential neighborhood and replicate the appearance of
larger scale commercial areas.
This change would apply to other corner sites in the CGS zoning districts located along Stange
Road. It would permit three properties to have an additional monument sign, including
Casey's, Fareway, and the carwash.
Kwik Star asks that if two monument signs are allowed, that one would be the arterial
standard allowance of 12 feet in height and 64 square feet of area. The second
monument would be the standard size of 8 feet in height and 32 square feet of area.
3) CUMULATIVE AREA OF INCIDENTAL SIGNS:
Unique to CGS there is a category of incidental signs, which is separate from wall and
monument signs. Incidental signs are non-illuminated. The current standards restrict to a
total cumulative area of 32 square feet of incidental signage per building for wall signs
and eight square feet for ground signs. Kwik Star is requesting that the cumulative area
of all incidental ground signs not exceed 30 square feet so as to accommodate
adequate numbers of ‘No Parking’ signs and other directional signs.
The restriction on cumulative area of incidental signs is meant to control the number of
scattered small signs such as parking and directional signage on a site to avoid the
appearance of multiple scattered smaller signs causing a greater commercialized appearance
in a residential neighborhood.
Typically, these signs are not accounted for separately and, therefore, staff has no concerns
about these types of incidental and directional signage since they are nonilluminated.
4) ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGNS (EMC)
Kwik Star is requesting that the standards governing Electronic Message Signs in CGS
be modified to allow full LED sign displays.
Currently, “Computerized Digital Scrolling signs” are permitted if the lot on which it is located
abuts an arterial street and the digital scrolling sign faces the arterial street. However, this
description also conflicts with the sign lighting standards that prohibit internal illumination and
requires a dark background. Staff believes the scrolling types of digital signs are meant
to be traditional “letter only” style signs that display only letters or numbers that were
common in the early 2000s (e.g., “time and temp signs”).
2
Kwik Star requests to allow for contemporary electronic signs for digital display of
wording and images in a modern format. Kwik Star has this type of sign in place at its other
locations for comparison.
The request specifically proposes to allow Electronic Message Center (EMC) Signs and
for the brightness to be allowed at 8,000 nits during the day and 320 nits at night. Nits
are a unit of measurement for light output on electronic message boards. The higher the nits
the more intense the light output, especially in concentrated spaces. Higher values are needed
in bright ambient conditions and lower value are appropriate in darker conditions.
Digital Lighting elements present a major sensitivity issue in areas that are intended to
be residential and can often be incompatible with residential neighborhoods. This
request is the most sensitive of the requested changes.
CGS intends for no internally lit signs, but has confusing language compared to modern sign
terms. EMCs are allowed in other zoning districts and only controlled by the Sign Code for
message display time without lighting or brightness controls. Staff recently highlighted this
same issue in regards to the HOPE Church request for signs in residential areas.
Staff has concerns that an entire monument sign could be an EMC. The level of
brightness proposed is at the upper end of an allowance that may not be compatible in
some settings with residential from staff’s limited experience with the issue.
OPTIONS:
Option 1 - Initiate changes to CGS zoning standards as requested by Kwik Star. This
would allow Kwik Star to apply for a text amendment as requested. Staff would draft
amendments addressing the application and proceed to P&Z for review and then Council. This
project process would likely occur over the next 2-3 months.
Option 2 - Initiate a limited number of changes requested by Kwik Star to the CGS
standards, but not allow the requested change dealing with electronic message signs.
Kwik Star would apply for text amendment and the staff then would draft changes and remove
any reference to scrolling signs.
Option 3 - Take No Action . This option would elect to keep the existing standards as they are
and not proceed with any action to amend the CGS sign standards.
Option 4 - Take No Action on the Kwik Star request, but direct staff to address the
electronic message sign standards and eliminate the scrolling sign allowance in CGS,
regardless of the requests by Kwik Star.
STAFF COMMENTS:
The CGS zone and associated design standards were developed to create compatibility within
or very near residential areas in a neighborhood setting. The standards prioritized
compatibility over identification.
Staff believes that some of the requests for changes to the Sign standards in CGS can be
found to be reasonable, while others may not be consistent with the original intent of the
3
standards.
Staff note that of the three issues being raised by Kwik Starr, Issues 1 (Additional Wall
and Ground Signage) and Issue 2 (Incidental Signs) could likely meet the intent of CGS
and the applicant's interest. Issue 3 (Electronic Messaging Center Signs) may not
ultimately be compatible with the intent of CGS and additional study would be required
if the issue is initiated.
If the entire request from Kwik Star is initiated as a text amendment, staff would require 2-3
months to address the changes and fit it into current workloads.
Council could also split the request and address the EMC issue separately from the more
traditional sign size and type issues. This would allow the traditional sign changes to proceed
in a shorter timeframe. The EMC issue would take additional time for study and likely be tied
to the residential referral that already exists.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Kwik Star Text Amendment Request Letter.pdf
4
September 1st, 2026
City of Ames, IA
515 Clark Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
RE: Text Amendment Request - Signage - Special Use - Computerized/Digital Scrolling - A portion of 3220 Cameron
School Road and George Washington Carver Ave.
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
We respectfully submit this letter requesting revisions and amendments to Special Use Permit Section 29.1503, Subsection 6, and
the Convenience General Services (CGS) Zone Development Standards related to signage in Section 12. Specifically, we ask that the
City and Council consider modifying the standards to allow for the requested revisions.
Special Use Permit Section 29.1503 (6) Lapse of Approval. All Special Use Permits shall lapse 12 months after the date of
issuance unless the use is undertaken, or a building permit has been issued and actual construction started. Where unusual
circumstances may prevent compliance with this time requirement, the Zoning Board of Adjustment may, upon written request
by the affected permittee, extend the time for required start of construction an additional 60 days. Excavation shall not be
considered construction for the purpose of enforcing this Section.
Kwik Trip request that all Special Use Permits shall lapse 24 months after the date of issuance. The anticipated
construction and completion of the roundabout at George Washington Carver Avenue and Cameron School Road will
extend the project's development timeline, necessitating additional time beyond the standard permit period.
(12) Signage
(d) Number
(i) The number of wall-mounted signs shall not exceed two (2) signs per tenant space, including lettering on awnings.
Kwik Trip requests that this be increased to three wall signs, as its site has frontage on three public streets. In
no case shall the three signs comprise a combined total of more than 86 square feet. (CGS would currently
allow signage of 86 sq.ft., but only on two signs, one of which must front on an arterial street to gain the
additional square footage). A wall sign facing a local road may be no larger than 16 square feet. (On the Kwik
Trip site, this would mean the wall sign facing south; such verbiage would prevent another CGS-zoned site in
the future from installing a large sign along a local classification street, which is more likely to have residential
uses.)
5
(ii) Only one monument sign is permitted for each principal building on a lot. A monument sign is not permitted on a
lot that is not the site of a principal building.
Kwik Trip requests that sites with frontage on two or more arterial or major collector streets be permitted two
monument signs per site. Such signs shall only be permitted to front on the arterial/major collector street
frontages. Only one monument sign shall be permitted on each arterial/major collector frontage, and the
monument signs on site shall be separated by a minimum of 150’.
(iii) The cumulative area of all incidental signs shall not exceed 32 square feet per building for wall signs and shall not
exceed eight square feet per site for ground signs, except that incidental signage on the rear façade of a building that
does not face a public right-of-way shall not be included in the maximum incidental sign area.
Kwik Trip requests the cumulative area of all incidental signs shall not exceed 30 square feet per site for
ground signs, since parking duration/no parking signs are included in this group. The parking signs are critical
to prevent the store from becoming a park-and-ride lot and keep people from parking for long periods, such
as on football weekends (we’ve faced the issue of people attempting to camp at stores). For the same
reasons, Kwik Trip is installing several parking signs at Stores #1768 (S. 16th and S. Grand) and #1770 (South
Dakota and Mortensen).
(e) Height restrictions. The maximum permissible height for a monument sign is eight feet, including the sign base; that is, the
top of a monument sign shall be no more than eight feet above the grade of the site on which it is erected. However, the height
of a monument sign, including the base, may be up to twelve feet if the sign is erected on a lot that abuts on an arterial street.
Kwik Trip requests that the two monument signs are allowed to be:
• 12’ tall/64 square feet
• 8’ tall/32 square feet
These dimensions are similar to current CGS code standards in terms of sign height/sign area.
(i) Computerized/digital scrolling signs are only permitted if the lot on which it is located abuts an arterial street, and the
computerized/digital scrolling sign faces the arterial street.
Kwik Trip proposes that an Electronic Message Sign/EMC be permitted in CGS, subject to reasonable lighting standards.
The EMC Kwik Trip proposes for use is programmed by the manufacturer to operate at 8,000 nits during the day and,
when displaying all-white content, measure 320 nits (four percent brightness) at night, meaning most content would
measure less than 320 nits. The EMC is equipped with a photosensor to adjust brightness in relation to ambient light.
No changes are requested to Sec. 21.131. ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGNS. The EMC Kwik Trip proposes would comply
with the current standards of 21.131.
Allowing these amendments would enable Kwik Trip to implement signage that is consistent with our standard sign package
implemented at stores across the Upper Midwest. Consistent signage helps customers easily identify a Kwik Trip/Kwik Star store,
enhances wayfinding on site, and reinforces the strong brand recognition that Kwik Trip has established within the communities
we serve. While often recognized as a convenience store, Kwik Trip also serves as a neighborhood destination for groceries, fresh
food, and much more.
Please consider these amendments to better accommodate development and retail signage while preserving the character and
appearance of the community. Thank you for your time and consideration of this request. We appreciate the City’s continued
efforts to ensure that local regulations remain practical, forward-looking, and supportive of economic development. We welcome
the opportunity to discuss this proposal further or provide additional information if helpful.
Sincerely,
Travis Small
Real Estate Development Manager
6