For the third time in four months, UnityPoint Health (formerly Trinity Terrace Park) is seeking a variance from the Bettendorf Board of Adjustment so it can erect signs on its building fronting Interstate 74 to promote its recognition by Truven Health Analytics as a "top 100" hospital.
The variance before the board Thursday (7/10) would allow the hospital to erect a second on-premise sign that is 513 square feet in size. Under city ordinance, only one sign is permitted on the frontage facing the interstate and the size is limited to 300 square feet. The hospital already has a sign with its name on the building fronting the interstate.
As with the previous two other sign variance requests, city zoning staff is not in favor of the latest plan.
"Staff cannot cite any hardship related to lot configuration, location, topography, or any other commonly stated hardship," the report to the board states. Determining whether a hardship exists is the main criteria used by the board to grants variances from existing ordinances.
In April, UnityPoint officials filed a variance request for posting billboard-sized "temporary" banners on the hospital walls facing I-74. It withdrew the filing just prior to the board meeting.
In May, the hospital sought and was denied a variance to erect two additional permanent signs, totaling 738 square feet, for the same purpose of promoting its ranking by the hospital analytics firm.
