Is anyone else concerned about the Discount Tobacco (and grocery in fine print) that will be opening soon in the former Sylvan Park Grocery? Although I have many concerns with this business, my main concern is the ''overdone'' signage and it's proximity to the elementary school. Is this the image we want to project to the kids that attend Sylvan Park Elementary? Is this an agenda item on the next SPNA meeting? Just wanted to start some dialogue on this issue. Thank you.

your concern is shared

Many of your neighbors share your sentiments. We passed a resolution of concern about it at the last Sylvan Park Neighborhood Association meeting, and asked for further information from our councilman, John Summers.

John responded, in part:

''The former Sylvan Park Market is zoned CN which allows for a number of
neighbohrood businesses including a grocery store. The store building
is too close to residential property to allow for the sale of beer under
Metro ordinances. A restaurant would be allowed to sell wine and liguor
under state law, but not beer under Metro ordinances.

As to the signage, there are restrictions as to size and location in the
Codes regulations on signage. I do not know what they are. There is no
restriction as to ugliness and bad taste. Sonny West, the Codes
Administrator, would be the person to contact if anyone is interested in
following up on this issue. He could tell you actually what the sign
restrictions are on the property.

The market of course cannot sell anything that is illegal.

I have no information as to what the new owners of the market intend to
sell or do or who they are. The only information I receive from Metro
as Councilman about a new business is notices of requests for zone
changes or variances, of which I have received none.

If the residents of the neighborhood do not like the market, the best
thing to do is to not support it financialy. Without community support
a market in that location is not likely to last very long.''

I don't know if anyone has contacted Sonny West about the sign. Changing the sign wouldn't answer the concern of selling tobacco that close to an elementary school and in a very prominent area of our neighborhood.

Come to our next meeting at Cohn Adult Learning Center, basement, Sr. Renaissance Ctr., on May 14th, if you'd like to help further.

Codes Sign Info

I called Codes & was informed that they have a permit & that as long as the sign does not cover more than 15% of each facade, it's legal. Unfortunately, it looks like they're within that limit. The content is not illegal either.