While plans are still on track for a new Burger King in town, the new sign for the chain restaurant has caused some questions to be raised by the Navasota City Council. At the meeting on Monday night, the discussion of a variance for the new freeway pole sign for the restaurant was on the agenda. City ordinance says that a freeway sign can be placed within 400 feet of Highway 6 and the new Burger King one would be at 476 feet from the Highway.
The sign would also have an electric text component on it. The city ordinance does not allow electronic signs in the central business district, but are acceptable elsewhere. While council members all said they support the business going in, there was discussion to be had about the new sign.
Councilman Grant Horn says he just believes the city should not have them altogether.
“Once upon a time…we put a total ban on electronic billboards. hen, we got into a big discussion about what defines an electronic billboard and all that. But, what we said for the character for the City of Navasota is that we did not want electronic, changeable boards. I do not know what it says now, but if it says something different, and you can have them in certain areas…I am going to be pretty disappointed and start working toward putting it back where we thought it was,” Horn said.
The restaurant is planned to be on Washington Avenue near Highway 6 and Walmart, with the sign facing East and West on Washington Avenue. Discussion carried on for about 20 minutes before Mayor Bert Miller talked about another potential option – a monument sign instead of a freeway pole sign.
“I am just curious possibly about a combination of getting some height on a monument style sign,” Miller said.
Other suggestions included directional signs on Highway 6 and combining the Subway sign, also owned by Jim Kolkhorst, into one sign.
The council decided to take no action, and the city will work with Kolkhorst on other options.