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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDR-14-07 - Decision - 0005 Dorset Street#DR-14-07 CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MASTER SIGNAGE PERMIT #DR-14-07 LTH, L.P. 5 DORSET STREET FINDINGS OF FACT AND DECISION Larkin Tarrant Hoehl, hereafter referred to as the applicant, is seeking to amend a previously approved master signage permit. The amendment consists of amending a previously approved Master Signage Permit #DR-07-02 to accommodate signs for the new hotel under construction, 5 Dorset Street. Pursuant to Section 6 of the City of South Burlington Sign Ordinance, the erection, alteration, or relocation of any sign within this district shall require design review by the Development Review Board (DRB). Section 8 of the Sign Ordinance requires all property owners within the DS/CC Sign District to obtain a Master Signage Permit. Based on testimony provided at the public hearing on September 16, 2014 & October 7, 2014 and the plans and supporting materials contained in the document file for this application, the Development Review Board finds, concludes, and decides the following: STATEMENTS OF FACTS 1. The applicant is seeking to amend a previously approved master sign permit for the properties at 5 Dorset Street. 2. The parcel contains an existing Comfort Inn & Suites, an existing vacant restaurant (a former Friendly's Restaurant) and a new, Homewood Suites Hilton nearing completion. 3. The subject property falls within the Dorset Street/City Center Sign District and is subject to the South Burlington Sign Ordinance adopted June 3, 2002 and last amended May 3, 2010. 4. The application was received on August 14, 2014. 5. The owner of record of the subject property is Larkin Tarrant Hoehl. 6. The applicant has submitted renderings of proposed signage. DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA In reviewing an application for signage, the Board has considered the following: The property contains an existing Comfort Inn & Suites, an existing vacant restaurant (a former Friendly's Restaurant) and a new, Homewood Suites Hilton nearing completion. The applicant has submitted photos and/or renderings of all of the proposed signs, which are used only to show the sign designs, with the exception of the small signs to be posted near secondary entrance 1 #DR-14-07 doors informing guests that their room keys will open the doors and that smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of the building entrance. The applicant has also submitted 3 pages of site plan with sheets labeled C-2, C-3 and C-5 which provide further detail on proposed sign locations. No sign is proposed for the current vacant restaurant building. Any such signs would be subject to this approval. (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 Board finds that the proposed sign package is compatible and harmonious with the design of the buildings and that the design of all signs on a property will promote consistency in terms of color, graphic style, lighting, location, material and proportions. Signs are proposed to be internally illuminated. The internally illuminated signs will use opaque backgrounds and translucent letters, logos and/or graphics to ensure the background is not illuminated. Per the So. Burlington Sign Ordinance, internal illumination is limited to text and graphics only. The remainder of the body of the sign must be opaque. The Board finds that the proposed sign types will meet this requirement. (b) Promotion of City Center Goals Signs shall be designed and located in a manner which reinforces and respects the overall stated goals of the sign district and City Center Plan, including a high aesthetic quality and pedestrian orientation. The DRB find that the proposed signage is designed and located in a manner which reinforces and respects the overall stated goals of the sign district and City Center Plan, including a high aesthetic quality and pedestrian orientation. (c) Color & Texture The color and texture of a sign shall be compatible and harmonious with buildings on the property and nearby. The use of a maximum of three (3) predominant colors is encouraged to provide consistent foreground, text and background color schemes. All new signs will have a white face and frame components will be a bronze color. The principal color for the existing and proposed Comfort Inn signs will be blue and white while secondary colors are orange/yellow. The Board finds that the color and texture of the signs will be compatible and harmonious with buildings on the property and nearby. The additional color of bronze is acceptable in additional to the existing colors of white and blue with an orange/yellow logo. (d) Materials Used- Signs shall be designed and constructed of high -quality materials complementary to the materials used in the buildings to which the signs are related. 2 J #DR-14-07 New signs are proposed to be fabricated of metal, aluminum, painted fir beams and other materials. The Board finds that these materials are acceptable. 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 proposed sign package is of substantial and sturdy construction and as previously stated; materials are weather -resistant and high quality. The maintenance of orderly appearance shall be enforced. 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. This criterion shall be enforced. (e) Wall Mounted Signs Section 10 of the Sign Ordinance governs the size and location of wall -mounted signs and shall be enforced by the Code Officer. 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 facade 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 facade 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 9". The Code Officer shall ensure that these requirements are met at the time of application of individual signs. (f) 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 existing Comfort Inn & Suites sign is located within this sign corridor. C #DR-14-07 The Board finds this to be consistent with this criterion. 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. This shall be enforced by the Code Officer at the time'of application of individual signs. DECISION Motion by Bill Miller, seconded by David Parsons, to approve Design Review application #DR-14-07 of Larkin Tarrant Hoehl subject to the following conditions: 1. All previous approvals and stipulations which are not superseded by this approval shall remain in effect. 2. The applicant shall obtain sign permits consistent with the master sign approval and specific standards of the Sign Ordinance in effect at the time of application from the Code Officer prior to any changes to signs on the property 3. Illuminated signs shall be limited to internal or external illumination. 4. All signs shall be limited to the primary & secondary colors applicable to the respective portions of the property. The primary colors for the Comfort Inn & Suites are blue and white with orange/yellow as secondary colors. The primary colors for the Homewood Suites property shall be white and dark bronze with black and medium brown as secondary colors. 5. 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. 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. Prior to the installation of any signs on the property, the applicant shall obtain a sign permit (if required by the sign ordinance) from the Code Officer. Tim Barritt— yea nay abstain not present Mark Behr— yea nay abstain not present Bill Miller— yea nay abstain not present David Parsons— yea nay abstain not present Jennifer Smith — yea nay abstain not present John Wilking— yea nay abstain not present Motion carried by a vote of 5— 0 — 0. 4 #DR-14-07 i Signed this22 day, �Zc -�Ic �-- 2014, by Barritt,`Chair Please note: An appeal of this decision may be taken by filing, within 30 days of the date of this decision, a notice of appeal and the required fee by certified mail to the Superior Court, Environmental Division. See V.R.E.C.P. 5(b). A copy of the notice of appeal must also be mailed to the City of South Burlington Planning and Zoning Department at 575 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT 05403. See V.R.E.C.P. 5(b)(4)(A). Please contact the Environmental Division at 802-828-1660 or http://vermontuudiciary.org/GTC/environmental/default.aspx for more information on filing requirements, deadlines, fees and mailing address. The applicant or permittee retains the obligation to identify, apply for, and obtain relevant state permits for this project. Call 802.879.5676 to speak with the regional Permit Specialist.