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HomeMy WebLinkAboutARB201100004 Review Comments Miscellaneous Submittal 2011-02-28ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD STAFF REPORT Project #/Name ARB- 2011 -04: Wells Fargo Signs Review Type Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign Parcel Identification Tax Map 32, Parcel 37B 1 Location 3490 Seminole Trail, at the southwest corner of the intersection of Route 29 North and Airport Road Zoned Commercial (C1), Entrance Corridor (EC) Owner /Applicant Wells Fargo Bank/Sign Productions (Dale Brodt) Magisterial District Rio Proposal To install wall signs and a freestanding sign. Context The bank is located in a heavily developed commercial area. Strip shopping centers stand to the south and east, a convenience store and gas station stand immediately to the south, the Walgreens drug store is located across Route 29 to the east, a motel converted to commercial use is located to the north, and another bank, medical offices, and a lumber yard are located to the northeast. Visibility The bank is readily visible from the Route 29 North and Airport Road Entrance Corridors. The freestanding sign along Route 29 and the channel letter wall sign facing Airport Road will be readily visible. The sign over the drive- through teller windows is not expected to be noticed from the road. ARB Meeting Date March 7, 2011 Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski Project History DATE APPLICATION /ACTION RESULT Jan and Feb 2011 ARB- 2011 -04 Staff has been working with the applicant to modify the proposal to bring it more in line with the EC Guidelines. Color samples were requested and provided by the applicant. The design of the freestanding sign has already been revised as follows: the background has been made opaque so that only the letters will illuminate, the color of the yellow side panel has been revised to match the rest of the dark red cabinet, and the applicant has agreed to maintain the landscaping at the base of the sign. Staff recommended that the applicant revise the color of the channel letters, PROPOSAL Freestanding Sin but the applicant declined. 2/22/2011 Other Business Staff asked the ARB for direction regarding the proposed shade of yellow for the Materials Aluminum, vinyl channel letter sign and it was the consensus of the ARB that examples of previously Location In existing location adjacent to Route 29 north approved yellows should be provided to the applicant to establish a framework for Size subse uent submission. 2/24/2011 7' 31 /a" tall x 5' 3 7/8" wide x F 5" deep The applicant decided to move forward to ARB review of the proposal with the Cabinet 4' 1 1 /a" high x 5' 3 7/8" wide x l' 5" deep original shade of yellow proposed for the channel letters and the text in the Base 3' 2" high x 5' 3 7/8" wide x F 5" deep freestanding sign. PROPOSAL Freestanding Sin Wall Sign Type Monument Channel letters Materials Aluminum, vinyl Aluminum, acrylic Location In existing location adjacent to Route 29 north Centered below vent in gable on north elevation of building, facing Airport Road Size Overall 7' 31 /a" tall x 5' 3 7/8" wide x F 5" deep 2' tall x 22' 9 7/8" wide x 5" deep Cabinet 4' 1 1 /a" high x 5' 3 7/8" wide x l' 5" deep n/a Base 3' 2" high x 5' 3 7/8" wide x F 5" deep n/a Text Wells Fargo Wells Fargo Graphics Stagecoach and horses n/a Colors Letters Yellow (3M 3630 -4039) Yellow faces (3M 320 -22) with black drop shadow Background Red (3M 3630 -2280) opaque n/a Graphic Dark Red (3M 7725 -1802) opaque n/a Base Light bronze n/a Returns Dark red Matthews paint 01126 red returns (semi -gloss Akzo Nobel SIGN20361) Illumination Internal fluorescent, background is opaque, only letters illuminate Internally illuminated with LED Mounting Cabinet mounted on a base Flush- mounted direct to wall ANAYLSIS REF I GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION Wall Sign 4e Colors must be harmonious with each The proposed yellow color is a bright, saturated, intense Propose a significantly other. Colors must not clash with other color. Yellow is not a color typically used for channel letter less intense color for the elements on the site, both when viewed in signs in the county's Entrance Corridors. As such, its channel letter faces. daylight and at night, whether the signs are difference will make it more noticeable. The color does not externally or internally lit. Overly intense fall within the range of Pantone colors previously identified color, such as but not limited to dayglo or by the ARB as appropriate for use in the Entrance fluorescent colors, are prohibited. Corridors. The intensity of the color will tend to make the sign look bigger and closer to the viewer. A color sample has been submitted for the yellow; given the relatively small size of the color sample, one should anticipate that the actual color of the installed sign, which will cover much more area, will appear further intensified. The use of this intense color in the corridor is expected to contribute to the creation of a disjointed, visually competitive environment rather than one characterized by visual continuity and coordination. A less intense color would be more appropriate. 5f Internal Illumination: Any internal The channel letters are proposed with internal LED Consider eliminating the illumination is considered to contribute to lighting. This illumination is expected to further intensify internal illumination of visual clutter and will be limited. the color. Eliminating the internal illumination would reduce impacts. The standard LED note does not appear on the channel letters if the yellow color is not 9i External illumination is preferred for wall signs. the drawings. modified. Add the following note to the channel letter drawing: "The level of illumination provided by the LED lights will not exceed the illumination produced by a single stroke of 30 milliamp (ma) neon." 4d Lettering should be in proportion to the The proposed channel letter sign is 2' high and almost 23' Reduce the size of the sign and the building for visual clarity and long. The sign drawings indicate that there is 5'3" of wall sign to reduce the overall balance. Proportion of lettering vertical space between the circular vent and the brick impact of the yellow includes font (size) and typeface (style). cornice, leaving F7 1/2" of clears ace above and below the color. REF GUIDELINE ISSUE RECOMMENDATION 9d The size of a wall sign shall be coordinated letters. The length of the elevation is identified as 50'. The with the size of the architectural element sign would occupy half the length of the elevation. on which it is placed. The ARB will Although the proposed sign is much larger than the existing consider the degree of visibility, the Wachovia sign, the drawings indicate that there would be distance from the Entrance Corridor, and sufficient clear space remaining around it, so that it would the architectural design of the building and not appear over - crowded. Still, the sign looks big; this may the sign area in its determination of be due in large part to the way the yellow color is perceived appropriate sizes and placement. in relation to its surroundings. Consequently, a reduction in the size of the sign would reduce the impacts of the color. Freestanding Sign 4e Colors must be harmonious with each Yellow is proposed for the text of the cabinet sign, red is None. other. Colors must not clash with other proposed for the background, and dark red is proposed for elements on the site, both when viewed in the graphics and returns. The yellow and red combination daylight and at night, whether the signs are is a bold one, but the letters occupy less than half the sign externally or internally lit. Overly intense face. The letters appear to be about 9" tall. At this size the color, such as but not limited to dayglo or yellow letters are not expected to have a negative impact. fluorescent colors, are prohibited. 8d Use ground cover, shrubs and/or trees to There is existing ground cover at the base of the The ground cover at the integrate freestanding signs into the overall freestanding sign. The applicant has agreed that the ground base of the sign shall landscape development of the site. Refer cover will remain. remain. to the Albemarle County Recommended Plants List, which is included in the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board Design Guidelines and is available on -line at www.albemarle.org. iv. Cabinet signs shall have a non- The applicant has revised the cabinet design based on Only the letter portion of illuminated background, or an opaque staff's recommendations so that only the text of the sign the cabinet sign shall (zero light transmission) background. will illuminate. illuminate. Summary of Recommendations: Staff recommends the following as the primary points of discussion: 1. The shade of yellow proposed for the letters 2. The size of the channel letter sign Staff recommends approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the signs with the following conditions: 1. Propose a significantly less intense color for the channel letter faces for review. Alternatively: a. Eliminate the internal illumination of the channel letters, AND b. Reduce the size of the wall sign to reduce the impact of the yellow color. 2. Add the following note to the channel letter drawing: "The level of illumination provided by the LED lights will not exceed the illumination produced by a single stroke of 30 milliamp (ma) neon." 3. The ground cover at the base of the freestanding sign shall remain. 4. Only the letter portion of the cabinet sign shall illuminate.