Meeting Date: July 8, 2021
To: Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Request for Signage for Heath Creek Cycles at the Northfield News Building - 313 Division St. S.
Body
Action Requested:
The Heritage Preservation Commission is asked to review and make a motion on the wall sign for Heath Creek Cycles located on the alley (east) side of the Northfield News Building at 313 Division St. S.
Summary Report:
Heath Creek Cycles is operating their business out of 313 Division St. S. Their entrance faces the alley on the east side of the Northfield News Building. The applicant is not requesting a projecting sign at this time.
Signage Request:
The applicable sections of the Downtown Historic District regulations in the sign ordinance include the following:
1. Placement
Signs shall be positioned so that they are an integral design feature of the building, i.e., signs shall complement and enhance the architectural features of the building. They shall be placed so that they do not destroy architectural details such as stone arches, glass transom panels, or decorative brickwork. Unless other placement is specifically approved by the Heritage Preservation Commission for reasons stated in the Certificate of Appropriateness issued by the Heritage Preservation Commission, signs may be placed only as follows:
(a) At or above the horizontal lintel, storefront cornice, or beltcourse, or above the storefront windows;
(b) Projecting from the building;
(c) Applied to or painted on canvas/fabric awnings;
(d) In areas where signs were historically attached (see Figure 6-3); or
(e) Wall signs for first floor businesses shall be beneath the second floor windows.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The sign meets the placement requirements. The placement of the proposed sign will be located above the storefront entrance. Due to the elevation change and that the entrance faces the alley there is no horizontal lintel, storefront cornice, or cornice to place the sign above. The storefront window does (to the south of the door) not allow for enough sign space either. The sign placement complements the existing feature of the building.
3. Sign Shape
Signs shall be designed to match the historic time period elements. Wall signs shall include a raised rectangular border that sets the sign apart from the building surface or hanging space. Signs shall make use of individual raised letters. Projecting signs may be fabricated in a variety of shapes appropriate to the building or business.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The sign meets the sign shape requirements. Given the location of the business entrance is off the alley, the rectangular shape fits the elements of the rear façade of the building. The off-white/grey rectangular border is raised and has individual raised letters.
4. Colors
Sign colors shall coordinate with the building façade to which the sign is attached. A combination of soft/neutral shades and dark/rich shades will best reflect the historical time period. No more than two colors shall be used for the sign letters.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The proposed colors for the projecting sign are Benjamin Moore Day’s End and Tundra. Tundra is the only color to be used on the lettering.
5. Material
Signs and sign letters should be made of wood, metal or weatherproof material that is in keeping with the corresponding historic period of the building. Signs that appear to be made of plastic are prohibited. Brackets for projecting signs shall be made of iron or other painted metal, and shall be secured at the top of the sign, and anchored into the mortar, not the masonry.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The sign meet the material requirements. It will be made of MDO board.
6. Message
The sign message shall be legible and shall relate to the nature of the business. These requirements may be accomplished through the use of words, pictures, names, symbols and logos. Logos, if used, shall be incorporated into signage designs compatible with the Historic District. Logos and lettering shall occupy no more than 60 percent of the total sign area and shall not extend outside the sign borders.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The sign meets the message requirements of being legible, relating to the nature of the business and the logo and lettering does not occupy more than 60% of the total sign area.
Sign Dimensions
Total sign area: 2.7 ft. x 5 ft. = 13.3 SF
Logo and lettering: 7.75 SF
60% of 13.3 SF: 8 SF
7. Lettering
Lettering styles shall be legible and shall relate to the character of the property's use and the era of the building. Lettering on wall signs shall be in a serif font. Wall signs shall contain no more than two lettering styles, and the lettering and any logo shall occupy no more than 60 percent of the total sign area. Projecting signs may utilize a font other than serif. Telephone numbers and websites may be included, provided they are clearly secondary to the primary message of the sign and occupy no more than 20 percent of the total sign area allotted to lettering.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The lettering on the wall sign is legible and relates to the era of building as the rear of the building, where the business entrance is located, faces the alley. The san-serif font is the business logo and the sign has one lettering style.
8. Illumination
External illumination of signs is permitted by incandescent, LED, or fluorescent light, but shall emit a continuous white light that prevents direct shining onto the ground or adjacent buildings. Exposed neon signs shall be permitted when installed inside windows or the interior of the building. With the exception of lighted "open" signs, internally illuminated signs are not permitted. Flashing, intermittent, rotating signs or signs that create the illusion of movement are prohibited. Exceptions to this guideline shall be allowed for public service, time/temperature and theater signs.
Staff Response:
Wall Sign - The wall sign will be illuminated by an existing light.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the wall sign request, as it meets the requirements defined by the sign ordinance in the staff report.