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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201100003 Review Comments Miscellaneous Submittal 2011-02-04ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2011 -03: Charlottesville Power Equipment Sign Review Type Review of a Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign Parcel Identification Tax Map 61, Parcel 124F Location 1510 Putt Putt Place, at the northwest corner of the intersection of Putt Putt Place with Rio Road Zoned Highway Commercial (HC), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner/Applicant L. F. Wood, Jr. and Patricia E. Wood/Charlottesville Power Equipment (Kevin Carson) Magisterial District Rio Proposal To install a wall sign and to reface an internally illuminated freestanding sign. Context The development of this site predates the establishment of Rio Road as an Entrance Corridor. The barn style building has been used in the past as a restaurant. An open field is situated to the west. A bank, mini -golf and storage units are located to the east. The Fashion Square Mall and Aldersgate Church are located across Rio Road to the south. The Arden Place development was recently approved for a location to the north. The Albemarle Square shopping center is located to the northwest. Visibility Eastbound traffic will have a clear, open view of the wall sign on the west side of the building. All traffic will have a clear view of the freestanding sign located between the building and Rio Road. ARB Meeting Date February 7, 2011 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski SITE SIGN HISTORY DATE REVIEW TYPE RESULT 1 -10 -2007 B2006 -2990S Permit issued for freestanding sign refacing for Rivals restaurant. 11 -2 -2005 ZTA East Rio Road was established as an Entrance Corridor in 2005. The development of this site predates that action. Consequently, the architecture, site layout, landscaping and signage do not meet the EC Guidelines. A freestanding internally illuminated pylon sign with a reader board is existing. Proposed Signs Freestanding Sign Type Refacing of internally illuminated cabinet supported by posts Materials Pan formed sign faces Location Near the southwest corner of the building, between the building and Rio Road Cabinet face size Approximately 8' wide x 5' tall Letter size Approximately 14" tall and 10" tall Text and Colors "Charlottesville ": White letters on black rectangle on yellow (PMS 1235C) opaque background "Power Equipment ": Black/white (day /night) letters on yellow (PMS 1235C) opaque background Existing posts and cabinet returns: Black Base (posts) Black Reader Board Existing to remain — no change Illumination Existing internal to remain — no change; background is opaque Wall Sign Type Panel Materials Vinyl and paint on MDO board Location West elevation of rear addition, upper right corner Overall Sign Size 14' wide x 5' tall Letter Size Approximately 2' tall Text and Colors "Charlottesville ": White letters on black rectangle on yellow (PMS 1235C) background "Power Equipment ": Black letters on yellow (PMS 1235C) background Illumination None Mounting Direct to wall ANAYLSIS REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION 4a Placement: The design of a building's walls, window locations, The wall sign is proposed for the See recommendations parapets and other architectural features shall influence the west elevation of the building below. Board's evaluation of appropriate signage. Wall signs can help addition, where it will be readily establish rhythm, scale and proportion across the fagade of a visible across an open field. This building. wall is otherwise blank. Although the panel size is large and the letters 9a Wall signs shall be integrated with the architecture of the building and the placement of such signs should not obscure within the panel are large, the architectural features or details, including but not limited to position in the upper right corner of cornices, windows, columns, pilasters and paneling. the building addition helps limit it appearing as a billboard. The bright 9d The size of a wall sign shall be coordinated with the size of the architectural element on which it is placed. Buildings and yellow color and the building elements should not be used as a billboard. The ARB black/white /yellow combination do will consider the degree of visibility, the distance from the draw attention to the sign. Entrance Corridor, and the architectural design of the building and the sign area in its determination of appropriate sizes and placement. Color, form, surface pattern, shape and disposition of elements and openings in an architectural design can affect our perception of scale and can impact the appearance of a sign on a building. 4d Lettering and Typeface: Lettering should be in proportion to In both the wall and freestanding Provide a black border for the sign and the building for visual clarity and overall balance. signs, the letters appear over - scaled the freestanding sign and Proportion of lettering includes font (size) and typeface (style). in comparison to the overall size of reduce the size of the the sign face. "Power Equipment" letters. 4e Color: Colors must be harmonious with each other. Colors must Black, white and yellow is a bold, Tone down the shade of not clash with other elements on the site, both when viewed in attention - getting color combination. yellow for the freestanding daylight and at night, whether the signs are externally or The colors do not clash with other sign and/or provide a internally lit. Overly intense color, such as but not limited to building colors at the wall sign black border to reduce the dayglo or fluorescent colors, are prohibited. location, but the freestanding sign is amount of yellow used in viewed in close proximity to the red the freestanding sign. roof, which does make for another loud combination. The shade of yellow (PMS 1235) is intense and it does not fall within the range previously identified by the ARB as REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION generally appropriate for signs in the Entrance Corridors. However, the yellow would not illuminate at night and it represents a relatively small percentage of the wall sign. 6 Reader boards are discouraged. Their typical structure, style, The reader board already exists as Use changeable letters color and location add an element to the site that is often part of the freestanding sign. No with opaque backgrounds incompatible with other design elements that establish the changes are proposed to it. If for the reader board. overall appearance of the site. They do not contribute to a changeable letters with opaque cohesive image on site. Their general appearance is typically backgrounds are available for use in temporary in nature. the non - conforming reader board, the reduced illumination would be an improvement and would have a more appropriate appearance for the EC. 9b Channel lettering is preferred to cabinet signs [for wall signs] The proposed panel sign does not None. because cabinet signs tend to appear less integrated with the meet this guideline for wall sign building. Channel letters overlay the wall material and allow the type. The applicant proposes to structure of the building to "read through" with less interruption. move the sign from the existing This results in a more coordinated overall appearance. business location on Route 29 North and reinstall it here. Given the blank quality and lack of architectural detail of the building to which the sign would now be attached, the panel sign seems to be a more appropriate sign type than channel letters. Summary of Recommendations: Staff recommends approval of the wall and freestanding signs with the following conditions: 1. Provide a black border for the freestanding sign panel. 2. Reduce the size of the "Power Equipment" letters in the freestanding sign to eliminate the appearance of over - scaled letters. 3. Tone down the shade of yellow for the freestanding sign. 4. Use changeable letters with opaque backgrounds for the reader board.