HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB200800068 Staff Report 2008-06-10ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT
Project #: Name
ARB- 2008 -68: ZamZam Kabob Sign
Review Type
Comprehensive Sign Review and Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign
Parcel Identification
Tax Map 61, Parcel 12G
Location
1710 Seminole Trail: Located on the west side of Route 29 North, 250'
north of the intersection with Rio Road West.
Zoned
Highway Commercial (HC) and Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner /Applicant
Ly, Ha To or Yu Hua C.
Magisterial District
Rio
Proposal
To reface a wall sign and a tenant panel in an existing freestanding sign.
ARB Meeting Date
June 16, 2008
Staff Contact
Brent Nelson
SITE/PROJECT HISTORY
• The current application is for the refacing of an existing 3 -panel building sign (Attachment A)
and an existing panel in a multi- tenant freestanding sign (Attachment B) that were installed
without ARB review /approval and without a sign permit. The signage is for a business located in
the northwest corner of the building at 1710 Seminole Trail (Attachment Q.
• The ARB has never received/reviewed a signage proposal for a business in this unit of the
building.
• June 17, 2002: ARB 2002 -54, Mattress Masters Sign, Comprehensive Sign Review and
Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign. This proposal was for a wall sign at the northeast corner
of the building at 1710 Seminole Trail, in the sign canopy above the business entrance. The
application was deferred indefinitely by the applicant following the ARB meeting. The applicant
never reinstated the application, a Certificate of Appropriateness was never issued, and the
Comprehensive Sign Review was never completed. The following comments were provided by
the ARB at the meeting:
• Signs for this building shall be in keeping with the ARB's practice of requiring that signs
of multi- tenant buildings be cohesive in appearance.
• Some members had a strong preference for channel signs rather than box or cabinet signs.
• The ARB and the applicant agreed that the yellow and red colors were inappropriate. The
applicant was directed to propose alternate colors that are coordinated with the building.
The applicant was notified that in the absence of a proposal for alternate appropriate
colors, the ARB would default to white as the approved color.
• All signs shall be appropriately scaled to the storefront without overwhelming the
building or its elements. This would require a reduction of the size of the sign illustrated.
(Note: the application was for 2 horizontal channel letter signs, 24 "x141" & 24 "x130 ").
• County code requires that the ARB conduct comprehensive sign reviews for multiple business
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centers.
CONTEXT
The surrounding area is characterized by dense commercial, strip developments facing the Route 29
Entrance Corridor. The building contains multiple tenants, and the majority of the existing signs are wall
panels, located in the sign bands above the business entrances, with exterior lighting.
VISIBILITY
The building is oriented with the side (east) elevation facing the Route 29N EC. The north elevation, with
the business storefronts, is at a 90 degree angle with the EC. The north elevation of the building, at its
closest point, is 100' from the EC. The wall sign under review has limited visibility from the Route 29N
EC due to its angular orientation and 200' distance from Route 29 (Attachment A). The multi- tenant
freestanding sign, with its considerable height, and 75' distance from the EC, is highly visible
(Attachment B).
EXISTING CONDITIONS:
Existing Building at 1710 Seminole Trail:
• The existing brick building has a 2 -story elevation facing south and a 1 -story (lower level)
elevation facing north.
• The south elevation is not visible from the Route 29N EC.
The roof is an asymmetrical gable style in a red standing seam metal.
Storefronts in the north elevation are dark brown. The sign bands in the north elevation consist of
EIFS in an off -white color.
Existing Sign Locations:
• Wall signs are currently located in the sign panels above each business in the north elevation.
• One wall sign is located over the window of the end unit in the east elevation facing the EC.
• One wall sign with the building name Rio 129 is located on the southeast corner of the same
elevation.
Existing Sign i.ng_Types:
• Four of the six existing business signs (visible from the EC) are panel types located in the sign
bands above the business entrances in the north elevation. The other two signs are cabinet types
located in the northeast corner of the building, one on the north elevation in the sign band over
the business entrance, the other on the east elevation above the window.
• The existing wall sign identifying the building Rio 129 is a white, channel letter type.
• The panel signs have external lighting. The 2 cabinet signs and the channel letter sign Rio 129
have internal lighting.
PROPOSAL
Sign 1: Wall Sign
Type: 3 -Panel Sign
Materials: Wood and vinyl
Size:
Center Panel: 96 "W x 30 "H
End Panels (2). 60 "W x 30 "H
Text: "ZAMZAM"
"KABAB"
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"Persian Cuisine"
Graphics: Kabab, Persian Script
Colors: Background: white vinyl; copy: red, green, and black vinyl.
Graphic: Persian Script: black
Kabab: multi -color photo quality.
Location: West end of the north elevation, on the 3 -sided metal canopy at the business entrance.
Illumination: Exterior, lights attached to the canopy structure.
Sign 2: Freestanding Sign — Tenant Panel
Type: Panel
Materials: Wood and vinyl
Overall Size: 94 "W x 16 "H
Text: "ZAMZAM KABAB"
Graphics: Kabab
Colors: Background: white vinyl; copy: red and green.
Graphic: Kabab: multi -color photo quality.
Location: Third panel from the bottom of the multi- tenant freestanding sign, located 75' west of the
EC, near the northeast corner of the building.
Illumination: None.
ANALYSIS (based on 2 sign drawings produced for building permit, received May 5, 2008)
Issue: Comprehensive Sign Review
Comments: Four of the six existing wall signs are panel types located in sign bands above the business
entrances in the north elevation. This sign type has a more appropriate appearance with the style of
architecture than the other 2 cabinet type signs also located in sign bands. The panel sign type also
provides the opportunity to use external illumination which the guidelines encourage. Given the distance
from and angular orientation to the EC, the sign material is not likely to be discernable; therefore, wood,
metal, or plastic would be acceptable. Colors of the existing wall signs lack coordination from sign to
sign. Sign colors should be limited to white, black, green, or red matching pantone or vinyl color numbers
in the approved ZamZam Kabob sign.
The multi- tenant, freestanding sign appears to be non - illuminated and consists of 6 horizontal panel signs
of similar size. Continued non - illumination of this sign is more appropriate given that its pole style is not
a sign type that is encouraged by the guidelines. Just as with the existing building signage, the individual
panel signs lack coordination in their colors. Sign colors should be limited to white, black, green, or red
matching pantone or vinyl color numbers in the approved ZamZam Kabob sign.
Issue: Sign Drawing Specifications/Existing Sign/Inconsistencies
Comments: The applicant provided sign drawings showing the proposed design for the 3 -panel sign at the
entrance to the business and the panel sign in the multi- tenant, freestanding sign. The design of the middle
sign panel at the business entrance, as represented in the sign drawing, does not correspond with the sign
that is installed. The text layout and content is different, and graphics have been added. The black color
on the installed sign is not listed on the sign drawing. The design of the panel sign in the multi- tenant
freestanding sign, as represented in the sign drawing, does not correspond with the sign that is installed. A
graphic has been added in the middle of the sign. The changes, as reflected in both installed signs, help to
provide a more balanced and unified design to the overall signs.
Recommendations: Revise the sign drawings for the 3 -panel sign at the business entrance and the panel
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sign in the multi- tenant, freestanding sign to correspond with all the design details in the installed signs,
including text, colors, graphics, and lighting.
Issue: Florescent Colors
Comments: The applicant's sign drawings refer to the text vinyl colors as fluorescent red and fluorescent
green. The corresponding PMS colors were not provided. However, Entrance Corridor sign guidelines
discourage the use of fluorescent colors. The red and green colors on the installed signs at the business
entrance and on the multi- tenant freestanding sign are not fluorescent in quality. The colors on the
installed signs are not overly intense, do not clash, and are complimentary to each other.
Recommendations: Revise the sign drawings for the 3 -panel sign at the business entrance and the panel
sign in the multi- tenant, freestanding sign to reflect the PMS colors used on the installed signs.
Issue: Sign Lighting/Details / Cutsheets
Comments: The applicant's submission does not contain any reference to whether or not lighting is
existing or proposed. The freestanding, multi -tenant sign does not currently appear to be lit. Exterior sign
lights have been added to the canopy structure at the business entrance. EC sign guidelines state that:
• External lighting is preferred for wall signs.
• Lighting (external) directed toward a sign should be designed and shielded so that it illuminates
the face of the sign and does not shine beyond the edge of the sign.
• All external light sources shall be white.
• All external lighting in excess of the 3,000 lumens threshold shall be a full cut off style fixture.
• All illumination shall be non - blinking.
Recommendations: Revise the sign drawings to indicate that the multi- tenant, freestanding sign will
remain unlit. Provide lighting cutsheets of the existing sign lighting on the canopy at the business
entrance and indicate all options chosen. All external lighting in excess of the 3,000 lumens threshold
shall be a full cut off style fixture. Revise the sign drawings to indicate that the lighting shall be shielded
so that it illuminates only the face of the sign and does not shine beyond the edge of the sign.
SUMMARY OF REVIEW
The 3 -panel sign installed at the business entrance and the corresponding panel sign installed at the multi -
tenant, freestanding sign do meet the EC sign guidelines and reflect the comprehensive sign guidelines
that should be established for this multi- tenant building.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion:
1. The proposed colors and design of both signs.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding the Comprehensive Sign Review:
Staff recommends the following criteria for future building signs located on the building at 1710
Seminole Trail.
Sign Type: Sign types shall be limited to panels. Box /cabinet signs and channel letters are not
appropriate.
Sign Materials: Wood, metal, or plastic
Illumination: External illumination may be permitted. All details related to lighting must be
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submitted for administrative review. External illumination shall be limited to a single fixture
and lamp type. Internal illumination is not appropriate.
Colors: Sign colors shall be limited to white, black, red and green matching pantone or vinyl
color numbers in the approved ZamZam Kabab sign proposal.
Location: Centered vertically and horizontally in the sign bands above the business entrance. No
tenant signage shall be permitted in the east or west side elevations.
Other: All other aspects of the ARB Design Guidelines apply.
Staff recommends the following criteria for future multi- tenant panel signs on the existing freestanding
sign at 1710 Seminole Trail.
Sign Type: Sign types shall be limited to panels.
Sign Materials: Wood, metal, or plastic
Illumination: None.
Colors: Sign colors shall be limited to white, black, red and green matching pantone or vinyl
color numbers in the approved ZamZam Kabab sign proposal.
Location: Centered horizontally on the freestanding sign structure.
Other: All other aspects of the ARB Design Guidelines apply.
Regarding the ZamZam Kabab Sign:
Staff recommends approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the ZamZam Kabab signs, pending
staff administrative approval of the following conditions:
1. Revise the sign drawings for the 3 -panel sign at the business entrance and the panel sign in the multi -
tenant, freestanding sign to correspond with all the design details in the installed signs, including text,
colors, graphics, and lighting.
2. Revise the sign drawings for the 3 -panel sign at the business entrance and the panel sign in the multi -
tenant, freestanding sign to reflect the PMS colors used on the installed signs.
3. Revise the sign drawings to indicate that the multi - tenant, freestanding sign will remain unlit. Provide
lighting cutsheets of the existing sign lighting on the canopy at the business entrance and indicate all
options chosen. All external lighting in excess of the 3,000 lumens threshold shall be a full cut off
style fixture. Revise the sign drawings to indicate that the lighting shall be shielded so that it
illuminates only the face of the sign and does not shine beyond the edge of the sign.
ARB 6/16/08 ZamZam Kabob Sign