Fayetteville

City Council Monday delayed action on

Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby's request for a

variance to allow a larger sign than city law

normally would allow.

The

company plans to move into the vacant Wal-Mart

building in downtown Fayetteville, occupying more

than half of the vacant store.

After

a lengthy discussion during last week's council

work session, Dick Brady of MOR Sign Graphics

said he will try to redesign signs for the store

to comply with city ordinances without a

variance.

"I

don't have a great feeling that they are going to

give us any more than what's in the code,"

Brady told The Citizen following the meeting.

The

problem, said Mayor Mike Wheat during the

meeting, is that the city has held other large

stores moving into town to its ordinances.

"We'd

like you to try to create something that gets as

close to the ordinance as you can," said

Wheat.

"I

would hate to have to talk to Home Depot and

Lowe's about why we changed the requirement after

they met it," added city manager Mike

Bryant.

Brady

said the problem is that the company offers a

wider variety of merchandise than its name

implies, so there's a need for smaller signs

telling potential customers about the various

departments in the store, in addition to one big

sign naming the store.

In

order to get the big sign large enough to be seen

from Ga. Highway 85, he needs more space than the

law allows, he said.

But

Hobby Lobby owners want to be good neighbors, he

added, saying he will try to eliminate the need

for a variance.

"They're

excited about coming into this area," he

said.

If

the variance request is not withdrawn before

then, council will discuss it again at its Nov.

10 work session, with action slated for its

business meeting Nov. 15.

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