Plymouth BZA approves sign variances for Drive & Shine Car Wash

The Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals granted two variances Tuesday evening for Drive & Shine, a new car wash and oil change business, allowing the company to install more signage than typically permitted under city ordinances.

Brandi Lintz, representing Drive & Shine, requested approval for 14 signs instead of the standard four allowed by city code, and two 20-foot-tall monument signs with 160 square feet of face area — significantly larger than Plymouth's standard 8-foot signs with 32 square feet of face area.

The business will house three operations: a drive-through car wash, an oil change service, and an interior cleaning facility.

Lintz explained that while the company is requesting more individual signs, the total signage area of 1,183 square feet would be considerably less than the 2,430 square feet allowed under city ordinance, which permits 3 square feet of signage for every linear foot of building face.

"The applicant believes that having more signs that are proportionally smaller is more attractive," City Plan Commission members were told.

The 14 approved signs include two free-standing monument signs and 12 wall-mounted or building-mounted signs, all based on designs from Vanadco dated January 29.

Planning staff recommended approval despite the increased number of signs, noting that reducing the count would likely require clustered signs as an alternative.

The two monument signs will be constructed with brick matching the building materials. Each will feature the Drive & Shine logo at the top, electronic messaging in the middle, and "car wash and oil change" signage at the bottom. One sign will be positioned along the north side of the property facing U.S. 30, with the second on the south side.

For comparison, Building Inspector Dennis Manuwal noted that Bowen Health's sign along U.S. 30 stands 30 feet tall with an electronic messaging portion measuring 24 feet by 12 feet.

Board members also acknowledged that Drive & Shine is donating right-of-way for a sidewalk project, eliminating the need for the city to purchase that space.

No one spoke for or against the variance requests during the public hearing. The Board of Zoning Appeals approved both variances by unanimous 5-0 votes.