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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDR-06-03 - Decision - 0595 Dorset StreetCITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION #DR-06-03 595 Dorset Street FINDINGS OF FACT AND DECISION The Willows Association, hereafter referred to as the applicant, are seeking design review approval for a master sign permit for freestanding and wall signs for the property located at 595 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 March 27, 2006. The Development Review Board held a public meeting on April 4, 2006. 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 master sign approval for the property located at 595 Dorset Street. 2. The property is located in the Central District 2 (CD2) zoning district. 3. The owners of record of the subject property are: a. Willows Association Property Management b. David and Kathy Gage c. Cooper Holdings LLC d. Saff ire Mortgage e. Richard Doherty f. Richard Bassett and Laura Fetters 4. The applicant has submitted renderings of the signs. 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 South Burlington Design Review Committee (DRC) and 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. DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA In reviewing an application for signage, the DRC and DRB shall consider the following: (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 proposed signs are compatible with the existing building and the surrounding buildings. The proposed wall signs on all sides of the building are proposed to be a brown background with gold lettering. Any graphics proposed for signs on the property shall be limited to gold and/ or white. All wall signs on the property shall be rectangular in shape, in so much as the length of the rectangle is at least 1.25 times the height. Rounded and square corners shall be permitted. Wall signs shall be limited to wood and/or plastic composite. The freestanding sign is a unique case. When the City closed a curbcut from Dorset Street to the units at 595 Dorset Street, they created a shared driveway for those units and the offices at City Hall. The properties now also share a freestanding sign. As such, this review and subsequent permit shall only govern the portion of the sign allocated to the 595 Dorset Street tenants. This sign shall be limited in color to a brown background with gold lettering. Removable name -plates shall be white with black or brown lettering. All removable name -plate signs shall be consistent in size and shape and shall be subordinate in size to the lettering noting the address. As the whole of the sign belongs to the City of South Burlington, the materials the sign is composed of shall be subsequent to approval by the City Manager's Office in consultation with the Planning and Zoning Staff. The applicant has not proposed any lighting for the freestanding or wall signs. (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 is in compliance with this requirement. Graphics appear to be legible and aesthetically pleasing. (c) Color & Texture The standard in Section 6(b)(3) states that, "The use of a maximum of three (3) predominant colors is encouraged to provide consistent foreground, text, and background color schemes." This proposal is in compliance with this criterion. Any logos or graphics will clearly be secondary in size and dominance. The proposed wall signs on all sides of the building are proposed to be a brown background with gold lettering. Any graphics proposed for signs on the property shall be limited to gold and/ or white. (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 proposed signs are compatible with the existing building and the surrounding buildings. The material composing the freestanding signs is controlled by the City of South Burlington. The wall signs shall be limited to wood and/or plastic composite. (e) Wall Mounted Signs Section 10 of the Sign Ordinance governs the size and location of wall -mounted signs. 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. The applicant has stated that they will adhere to this criterion. 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. The applicant has stated that they will adhere to this criterion. For the purposes of measuring compliance with this criterion, the principal fagade of this building shall be the longer side, that which faces the Interstate-189 onramp. 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. The proposed sign locations will not project above the roof or parapet of the subject building. The proposed signs will extend below the top of the first floor doorways or windows as they will be used primarily to mark the location of the tenant. The Design Review Committee, through the design review approval process, has voiced approval of this. Thus, the proposed signage is in compliance with this requirement. 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. The proposed signs are in compliance with this requirement. Section 10(g) stipulates that a wall -mounted sign shall not project from the wall in excess of 9". The proposed signs are in compliance with this requirement. (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. In those instances where dimensions do not provide for a two (2) foot setback from the Right -of -Way before a sign support post can be located, it is permitted to erect a centered single pole mounted sign of which the road side edge of the sign is directly outside the R.O.W. line. The proposed 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 signs are in compliance with this requirement. ' ,� q DECISION /jj MOTION byu1A 4�� Mseconded by G t' IU'�G to approve Design Review Applicatio #DR-06-03 of the Willows Association, subject to the following conditions: 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. 3. Individual sign permits shall be in compliance with the Master Signage Permit. 4. The colors of all wall signs shall be limited to a background of brown. The colors of the lettering on wall signs on all facades shall be limited to gold. Any graphics proposed for signs on the property shall be limited to gold and/or white. 5. The colors of the freestanding signs shall be limited in color to a brown background with gold lettering. Removable name -plates shall be white with black or brown lettering. All removable name -plate signs shall be consistent in size and shape and shall be subordinate in size to the lettering noting the address. As the whole of the sign belongs to the City of South Burlington, the materials the sign is composed of shall be subsequent to approval by the City Manager's Office in consultation with the Planning and 'Zoning Staff. 6. The materials of all wall signs shall be limited to wood and/or plastic composite. 7. All signs shall be kept in good repair. Mark Behr —4�eoay/abstain/not present Matthew Birmingham — yea/nay/abstain of present Chuck Bolton — 46a ay/abstain/not present John Dinklage — e nay/abstain/not present Roger Farley — e ay/abstain/not present Larry Kupferman — lay/abstain/not present Gayle Quimby — yea/nay/abstai of resen Motion carried by a vote of S- fJ- 6 Signed this day of 2006, by Jahn Dinklage, Chai Please note: You a 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).