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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDR-05-07 - Decision - 0155 Dorset StreetCITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION #DR-05-07 UNIVERSITY MALL- 155 DORSET STREET FINDINGS OF FACT AND DECISION Finard and Company, hereafter referred to as the applicant, are seeking design review approval for a master sign permit for freestanding signs for the property located at 155 Dorset Street in the Dorset Street/ City Center Sign District. The master signage permit would also establish the design scheme for future tenants. The Design Review Committee voted to support this application with conditions at their meeting on October 24, 2005. The Development Review Board held a public meeting on November 1, 2005. Heather Tremblay represented the applicant. Based on testimony provided at the above mentioned public hearing and the plans and supporting materials contained in the document file for this application, the Development Review Board finds, concludes, and decides the following: FINDINGS OF FACT 1. The applicant is seeking to amend a master signage permit for a multi -building lot located at 155 Dorset Street. 2. The property is located in the Commercial 1/Residential 12 Zoning District. 3. The owner of record of the subject property is University Mall Realty Trust. 4. The applicant has submitted renderings of the proposed signs. Design plans for properties within Design District 2 shall comply with the following design criteria as outlined in Section 11.01(F) of the South Burlington Land Development Regulations (SBLDR): (a) Consistent Design The design of a sign must be compatible and harmonious with the design of buildings on the subject property and nearby. The design of all signs on a property shall promote consistency in terms of color, graphic style, lighting, location, material and proportions. The applicant has proposed a detailed design standard for the property: All exterior wall mounted signs must be a channel letter, a fabricated three-dimensional letter that is a front lighted letter with a translucent face and/or a back lighted letter, an illuminated reverse channel letter with an open or translucent back so that light from letter is directed against the surface behind the letter, producing a halo lighting effect around the letter. All exterior canopy lights shall have letters which will be metal fabricated and cut out; they will sit on top of the roof canopy. All exterior free standing signs shall be cabinet style signs. The fabricated sign panel will have halo illuminated push through letters and the cabinets will be mounted to columns. All letters shall be directly attached to the wall or mounted on a raceway painted to match the color of the wall in which it is attached or painted Duranodic bronze color. The Development Review Board finds that the proposed signs are compatible with the existing building and the surrounding buildings. The subject property is the largest in the district and contains the greatest number of tenants. Therefore, flexibility in design standards is appropriate. No lighting plan has been proposed as part of this application. (b) Promotion of City Center Goals Signs within the DS/CC Sign District should be of high aesthetic quality and pedestrian oriented. The proposed signage largely complies with this requirement. Graphics are legible and aesthetically pleasing. However, the applicant should ensure that the freestanding signs are landscaped to the greatest extent practical while ensuring a clean and pleasant appearance. (c) Color & Texture The applicant has proposed that the face colors shall be limited to red, white, blue, and green. Accent colors for logos or graphics shall be yellow and black. While this is not in strict keeping with the standard in Section 6(b)(3) that states, "The use of a maximum of three (3) predominant colors is encouraged to provide consistent foreground, text, and background color schemes," the Development Review Board finds that some flexibility is required for such a large and diverse property. Furthermore, the proposed signs are compatible and harmonious with buildings on the property and nearby. (d) Materials Used Pursuant to Section 20 of the Sign Ordinance, all signs shall be of substantial and sturdy construction, kept in good repair, and painted or cleaned as necessary to maintain a clean, safe, and orderly appearance. The Development Review Board finds that the materials proposed for signs on this property are in compliance with this criterion. The signs shall be kept in good repair. (e) Wall Mounted Signs Although three new wall -mounted entrance signs are proposed, the applicant is not proposing any changes to the master permit for the wall mounted signs. The applicant will need to obtain sign permits from the Code Officer for those signs, which shall be in compliance with the master plan, and in compliance with the additional criteria included below: Pursuant to Table 10-1 of the Sign Ordinance, a wall -mounted sign for a multi -tenant building or a multi -building lot with a master signage permit in any district with freestanding or landscape sign shall not exceed 15% of the area of the fagade to which it is attached or 100 sq. ft., whichever is smaller. Pursuant to Table 10-1 of the Sign Ordinance, the total area of all wall -mounted signs on the subject property shall not exceed 10% of the area of principal public fagade of each building. Section 10(c) states that a wall -mounted sign shall not project above the roof or parapet of the building nor below the top of any first floor doorway unless permitted through the design review approval process. Pursuant to Section 10(d), a wall -mounted sign shall not cover any opening or project beyond the top or end of any wall to which it is attached. Section 10(g) stipulates that a wall -mounted sign shall not project from the wall in excess of V. (0 Freestanding Signs Section 9(h) states that free-standing signs along Dorset Street are to be located in a sign corridor that begins adjacent to the road Right -of -Way and runs sixteen (16) feet from the edge of the Right of Way toward the building face. The proposed freestanding signs are in compliance with this requirement Section 9(h) states that free-standing signs in the Dorset Street/City Center District may not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in overall dimensions and may be no higher than twelve (12) feet, measured from the average finished grade at the base of the sign to the highest point of any part of the sign structure. The proposed freestanding entrance signs are in compliance with this requirement. The proposed freestanding signs are approximately six (6) square feet and stand at a height of eleven (11) feet. Again, the applicant shall obtain applicable sign permits from the code officer if or when the master sign plan has been approved. DECISION r MOTION by G {�Yr`.� � q I m b seconded by 6 C 1� to approve Design Review Application #DR-05-08 of�uth Burlington Realty Co. subject o the following conditions: pp 9 Y 1 9 1. All previous approvals and stipulations shall remain in full effect, except as amended herein. 2. This project shall be completed as shown on the plans submitted by the applicant and on file in the South Burlington Department of Planning and Zoning. Any future proposal for the lighting of the property's freestanding signs will require a sign permit from the code officer and must comply with Section 21 of the South Burlington Sign Ordinance. 4. The free-standing signs shall be landscaped to the satisfaction of the Development Review Board. The colors of the signs shall be limited to red, white, blue, and green; accent colors for logos and graphics shall be limited to yellow and black. 6. All signs shall be kept in good repair; landscaping surrounding the freestanding signs shall be kept trimmed and neat and shall not obscure the text of the signs. 7. The applicant shall ensure that the proposed freestanding signs are located within the City Center Sign Corridor, a band beginning at the public right of way of Dorset Street and extending 16 feet into the property. Furthermore, the applicant shall ensure that the proposed signs are not within the City's right of way. Mark Behr — oenay/abstain/not present Matthew Birmingh m — yea/nay/abstain not Chuck Bolton — ay/abstain/not present John Dinklage nay/abstain/not present Roger Farley — e /abstain/not present Larry Kupferman e nay/abstain/not present Gayle Quimby —nay/abstain/not present Motion carried by a vote of � - O - 6 Signed this day of 2005, by j John Dinklage, Chair Please note: You have the right to appeal this decision to the Vermont Environmental Court, pursuant to 24 VSA 4471 and VRCP 76 in writing, within 30 days of the date this decision is issued. The fee is $225.00. If you fail to appeal this decision, your right to challenge this decision at some future time may be lost because you waited too long. You will be bound by the decision, pursuant to 24 VSA 4472 (d) (exclusivity of remedy; finality).