HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter to Mayor and CouncilJuly 5, 2020
To Mr. Pavone and the City Council Members,
Two months ago I applied for and was denied a permit to add an LED insert to the existing tall sign at my
gas station. I was told that I could request a variance, but that it would also be denied and I would lose
any fees paid. At that time I reached out to you Mr. Mayor and the Council pleading my case. Instead of
an answer from you, I was directed back to the people I had originally approached. Now I was
encouraged to request a variance and pay $1,300 in addition to paying $450 to place a public notice
sign. In good faith I did this only to receive the “no” as I was originally told. I truly believed that you Mr.
Mayor and the City Council were involved, and that my variance request was supported by the council
and would be approved once I took the steps I was now being told to take. I feel now that I was misled
and have lost my money.
Again, I am reaching out to you, as I believe you should approve my request in whole for the following
reasons.
CHEVRON: The Chevron on the other side of I-405 added an LED insert to their existing tall sign in 2012.
This was told to me by the management of the Chevron. When we asked the city why Chevron was
allowed to do this, we were told that they were approved “by accident”. However, the Chevron has not
been asked to take down their sign to comply with the code. I do not want to believe that this decision
against me is racially motivated, but this is what the residents of our community are now telling me.
The residents of our community suggested I start a petition for them to sign, and you will find this
attached. I would like you, Mr. Mayor and the members of the City Council to open an investigation into
how the Chevron was “accidentally” allowed a variance to the city code. See attached map
76 STATION: There is a 76 station less than two miles southeast of my property with a high LED price
sign. They are in a residential area, and their sign is absolutely visible to the neighborhood. How and
when was this sign approved? See attached map.
“Staff has reviewed the applicant’s justifications and analysis, and concurs that when
considered alone, continued utilization of the pole sign would not be detrimental to the
public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity. However,
when the project is evaluated as whole and includes the impacts of a 62 square foot
electronic messaging sign approximately 20 feet off the ground, the potential for
impacts to neighboring properties rises significantly. The bright light generated by
electronic message board signs has the ability to reach nearby residential properties
and commercial properties in the nearby vicinity. Due to the potential impact identified,
staff does not concur that continued use of the existing pole would not be injurious to
the property or improvements in the vicinity and therefore compliance with the criterion
has not been demonstrated.”
My response to the above is as follows. I would like to invite you Mr. Mayor and Council Members to
visit the site and see that there is no way any home in the vicinity would be able to see the light
generated from the existing tall sign. The placement of my existing sign is such that it cannot be seen
from anywhere in the neighborhood. The above statement by your staff is at best misleading.
The suggestion is to put a five foot LED sign on the ground. The City of Renton has an existing
“Welcome” sign in the location I would put my sign. The city of Renton sign is twelve feet high and
would block any sign I placed on the ground. Or should I put my sign in front of the City of Renton sign.
Either way, it is not going to look good and the residents are not going to like to see a gas price sign
adjacent to “Welcome to Kennydale – City of Renton“. From talking to my customers, they will not be
thanking you Mr. Mayor and City Council Members for that change.
In addition, the utilities are located in the ground of that particular area, electric, water, cable. Digging
to install the electric for a new sign will be impractical if even possible.
The solution provided by your staff is not really a solution at all and will cause my station to become
even more disadvantaged, as a sign on the ground will not even show to pedestrians walking past. I also
believe some of the arguments made in the report are false and misleading. Has the site actually been
visited to see if a tall LED sign would be visible to nearby residential properties? I don’t believe so. Has
the site actually been visited to see if a five foot sign would even be practical? I don’t believe so.
Let me be very frank. The Chevron is corporate owned and has a tall LED sign. The Shell across the
street is owned by an Indian man, and they were not approved for a tall LED sign. I am an Arab and also
not approved for a tall LED sign. This is a fact not lost on me or our community. In addition, the
residents of this community have taken the time to sign a petition asking that we be allowed to make
this change. They continue to ask me for an update. They are wondering if their voices are being heard
by you Mr. Mayor and City Council Members. When we elect officials, we are looking at them to make
changes to better serve us and to treat us fairly and justly regardless of race, religion, or color. To be
honest, the community and I do not feel that this is the case.
I respectfully ask that you personally Mr. Mayor or either approve or deny my sign proposal in its
entirety, please do not ask me to speak to someone else on your staff or pass this down for someone
else to deal with me. Can I put an LED insert in my existing tall sign, as have Chevron and the 76 station,
or not. I do not need to know the reason why or why not. You are the boss, and I just need a direct
answer from you. I am even now being affected financially while waiting for this decision. I have added
diesel to my station and need a sign that reflects that, as my existing sign does not have a price for
diesel. I’m sorry to say I don’t trust your staff. This is not the only time I have felt discriminated against
when trying to work with your staff. I would like to have an answer from you directly and have this issue
resolved.
Respectfully,
Imad Abu-Alya
253-359-7515 cell