ASHEVILLE – Staples corporate officials said they plan to make changes to a Merrimon Avenue store that has drawn neighborhood protests over its appearance and placement.

The store, built in 2005, has signs bigger than allowed by city rules, neighbors said. The building itself is too close to the sidewalk on one side and has no way for pedestrians to enter from Merrimon, they said.

Response to concerns

The changes come in response to those concerns, said Ted Frumkin, vice president of retail design and facilities management.

“We want to be part of the community as opposed to a corporate entity just selling our wares,” Frumkin said.

The city approved the building more than two years ago, saying the signs were not too large because only the white “Staples” letters counted when it came to square footage.

Neighbors said the red background behind the letters were part of the signs.

“The citizens of Asheville pushed for and got a ban on billboards in the city,” said Ben Gillum, Five Points Neighborhood Association president. “So staples coming in and putting up signs that are essentially the size of billboards — you can see those from Beaucatcher Mountain — is kind of a slap in the face.”

At the request of the City Council, Bellamy brokered what she called a “compromise” between residents and Staples, talking to corporate officials monthly since September.

“I hope our community can move forward and look at the issues that are outstanding,” Bellamy said, including clarifying rules that led to some of the confusion, she said.

The proposal to reduce sign letters from 5 feet tall to 4 feet tall and cut the red background will still leave signs larger than allowed, so Staples has applied for an exception from the city Board of Adjustment on Feb. 25.

Other changes need no city approval. They include adding details such as pebbledash and stone to the building and growing vines up two sides of the store. The adjustments “should soften the building substantially,” said Frumkin.

Gillum called the changes a big improvement but noted two of four signs on the building would remain unchanged. He said he would like to see those signs on the north and east side also reduced.

“I’m hoping they can be brought to see the light,” he said.

Proposed changes

The signs

Now: Building has four signs totaling 1,472 square feet. Biggest one is 487 square feet.

What is allowed: 375 square feet of signs. Biggest sign can be 125 square feet.

Proposed: Four signs totaling 1,009 square feet. Biggest one is 224 square feet.

The building

Now: Sits directly against the sidewalk on Merrimon Avenue and Orange Street. No entry points on Merrimon side.

What is allowed: Merrimon side must have pedestrian amenities, such as a door or windows. Building should be 15 feet back on Orange.

Proposed: A “green screen” of vegetation to soften appearance of building.

Why it matters: The signs are essentially billboards, which the city recently banned, said Ben Gillum, Five Points Neighborhood Association president. The building’s unattractive look discourages others from following pedestrian-friendly construction techniques, Gillum said.