Community Corner

Neighbors Petition Against Proposed Office Depot Sign

They say the sign would damage the character of the neighborhood.

Evanston residents who live near the Office Depot on Green Bay Road are organizing against two new proposed illuminated signs that the store has requested permission to install.

One sign would face north and the other would face east, both would be more than 20 feet high with lighted 4 to 5 foot tall red letters. Since the sign is above the city's size limits, the store is requesting a variation to the sign regulations at an upcoming Evanston Sign Review and Appeals board meeting.

"There is a feeling that the Office Depot changes are leading to a 'big box' store presence in a mixed residential-small store neighborhood," said Randy Otte, one of the organizers of the petition.

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"The height and size of the proposed signs (and the false façade) are consistent with developments in new  suburban commercial strips which sit behind football sized parking lots, not stores that are located 10 feet from a street with a pedestrian sidewalk," he said.

The petition says the signs would intrude into the residential neighborhood and Torgerson Park and "be an environmental and financial detriment to residential neighbors."

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"The proposed new illuminated signs, because of their size and height will  now be highly visible inside many residents’ homes and create visual distractions," Otte said.

People who have signed the petition are also planning on attending the Sign Review and Appeals Board meeting on Thursday evening to voice their concerns in person.

Evanston Patch has reached out to Office Depot for comment, and will update the story if we hear back.


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