Battle Creek Zoning Board Lets Capital Avenue Positivity Sign Stay

The Battle Creek Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-2 on November 10th, 2026 to let a Capital Avenue positivity chalkboard remain in place through a zoning variance.

Jonna Siano began posting encouraging messages on the chalkboard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Messages such as “Don’t give up” and “You’re not alone” became a familiar sight for drivers near the northwest corner of Southwest Capital Avenue and George B. Place.

The city notified Siano in August that the 16-square-foot temporary sign did not meet zoning rules governing its size and placement near the public right-of-way. She then requested a dimensional, or non-use, variance identified as PVAR26-0008. The request appears in the board’s November 10th agenda record.

Nearly a dozen residents spoke in support of the sign during the hearing, with several describing how its messages had helped them through difficult periods. Earlier reporting about the chalkboard documented the dispute after the city’s notice.

Board members weighed that community support against concerns that allowing the sign could create a precedent for other, potentially more intrusive signs. Supporters of the variance characterized the chalkboard as neutral, noncommercial and focused on community goodwill.

The board’s approval allows the temporary sign to continue under the terms of the variance. Siano said she plans to remove it during the winter and return it in the spring or summer.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Division explains that a variance offers limited relief from zoning requirements. Battle Creek’s general sign requirements also address placement, safety and visibility for pedestrians and drivers.

What did the Battle Creek Zoning Board approve?

The board approved a dimensional variance allowing the temporary 16-square-foot positivity chalkboard near Southwest Capital Avenue and George B. Place.

How did the board vote?

The variance passed by a 4-2 vote on November 10th, 2026.

Will the chalkboard stay up all year?

Siano said she plans to take it down for the winter and bring it back in the spring or summer.