DANVILLE — True Grit Fitness is proposing an expansion in Danville.

The Danville Area Planning and Zoning Commission will consider a request by True Grit Fitness to amend the zoning map at the commission’s 5:15 p.m. meeting on Nov. 3 at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building, 17 W. Main St.

True Grit Fitness is requesting to amend the zoning map from B-2 Highway Commercial to B-3 General Commercial zoning for the vacant property at North Vermilion Street and Devonshire Drive for an athletic training facility.

Danville Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk said the vacant site is the closest lot to Devonshire Drive on the west side of Vermilion Street near Wal-Mart. The property is 2.3 acres.

The facility would be in addition to petitioner Matt Stines’ True Grit Gym and Fitness Center in Tilton.

Future land use map designation is regional commercial development. The zoning paperwork states the parcel is located in a district of mixed-use containing residential, retail, vacant land and a vacant medical building.

Cronk said an athletic training facility is one of the least intrusive uses that could probably be put on that site. There are strict screening guidelines near the residential area. He said commercial businesses next to residential is not uncommon.

“This site has two lots buffering it from a quadplex,” Cronk said.

In other business, the commission will consider approving:

• A special-use permit request from Jett and John Jansky to operate a tattoo parlor, as part of Jansky Studios Tattoo and Art Gallery, at 7 E. North St. in downtown Danville. The site, the back part of the three-story commercial structure at Vermilion and North streets, is zoned B-4 Central Business in the downtown area, is owned by Peter Blackmon and is currently a private art studio.
• “These two artists (the Janskys) have been involved in the Danville community for years, providing clean, quality tattoo service and doing speed painting events for numerous celebrities, athletes, charities, fundraisers and music events nationwide and in the Danville area. With your approval, these tattoos and paintings would like to be showcased in this location,” Jett and John Jansky’s paperwork reads.
• “We have much support from the community and surrounding businesses that would like to see this come to fruition. We think this will be a great addition to downtown’s image considering all the art painted on buildings and having a rich history and appreciation of creatives from this area, like us. We do not look to be a disturbance or inconvenience to the other businesses in this area. We only hope to provide an excellent image to the area and maybe change some preconceived negative ideas about the tattoo industry. We will be appointment only, for the most part, allowing a small group of people into the building at a time; that way we are mindful of traffic flow and parking spaces for other businesses. We only plan to redecorate and remodel the inside of the building with our landlord Peter Blackmon’s approval. We do not intent to disturb or change the outside of the building structure, except a sign hung on the storefront for business purposes. This will solely be a storefront business, just like the many businesses that already exist in this area. We plan to work with the city and meet any expectations they might have of us to make this happen cohesively.”
• A city request of a text amendment to Chapter 150.115 Table VII-2 standards for wall signs, of the city’s zoning ordinance. Cronk said as the zoning ordinance is currently written, signs on larger buildings are limited three separate times, and aren’t able to be seen with current restrictions. “We’re being proactive …, “ Cronk said about supporting larger structures, like Carle’s, FedEx, Viscofan, McLane’s, the casino and others. “We’re trying to make it more common sense,” he said. In business and industrial districts, the maximum area of signs per frontage would be 10 percent of wall area. Being removed is up to a maximum of varying square feet, and square feet specified for maximum area of individual sign. The metric change is from a fixed maximum sign size, regardless of the size of the wall on which the sign will be affixed, to a ratio of maximum sign size to wall space. Also, according to the paperwork for the request, the city states, “the city has been approached by several commercial entities (one not-for-profit and for-profit entities) who seek to place large signs on very large exterior walls. As currently drafted, Table VII will not allow them to place signs that other businesses within the city have placed on their respective buildings. Further, the city seeks some basic aesthetic uniformity in proportional allowable maximum wall surface to sign surface, i.e. 10 percent of wall surface. Moreover, the city wants to conform its ordinance to what is currently present throughout the city in terms of signs on large commercial properties.” Sign photos shown in the zoning packet include Meijer, Kohl’s and T.J. Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Menards, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, AutoZone and others. “We just need to grow with how the community is growing,” Cronk said.

Cronk said he’s not gotten any feedback from neighbors regarding any of the agenda items.