By DAVE NICHOLSON
The Tampa Tribune

PLANT CITY - A request for a 120-foot sign to advertise a Starbucks and Village Inn at Interstate 4 and Thonotosassa Road was withdrawn this week.

  Henderson Properties LLC of Lakeland submitted an application for permission to build the sign, saying it was needed to lure in motorists from I-4. The city staff members who reviewed
the request recommended denial because they say the company didn’t provide enough information about why such a tall sign was needed.

  The company withdrew the request before it was to become before Tuesday’s meeting of the city Board of Adjustment.

  The I-4/Thonotosassa Road interchange already has some very tall signs, including McDonald’s, 130 feet, Waffle House, 125 feet and Outback Steakhouse, 110 feet.

  A letter to the city from David D. Henderson of Henderson Properties stated in part, “by granting the requested variance, both Starbucks & Village Inn can be counted upon to bring
relatively affluent customers off the interstate, and into the city limits of Plant City.”

  The information submitted to the city didn’t say when the restaurants would be built.

Henderson Properties hasn’t notified the city if it plans to refile the request for permission for the signs.

  The sign would need a variance because regulations would limit it to 35-feet tall. A 35-foot sign wouldn’t be readily visible to eastbound traffic, Henderson Properties said in its
request to the city.

Contact Dave Nicholson at (813) 865-4432 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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