Meeting Date: September 9, 2021
To: Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Request for Signage for Coldwell Banker at the Lockwood Opera House Building - 419 Division Street South.
Body
Action Requested:
The Heritage Preservation Commission is asked to review and make a motion to approve a 20 ft. x 32 in. wall sign for Coldwell Banker at the Lockwood Opera House Building - 419 Division Street South.
Summary Report:
Coldwell Banker’s branding/logo has been updated and a new branch is moving into the Lockwood Opera House Building - 419 Division Street South.
*Note: The sign proposal attached, notes changing the awning canvas color. The awning is existing and therefore a building permit is not required. The proposed change in canvas color, to taupe, follows the downtown design guidelines. Given no building permit is required and the color change is in keeping with the downtown design guidelines, the change in canvas color does not require a certificate of appropriateness. No signage will be on the awning.
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 updates to the sign will use the existing sign area. The placement of the wall sign does not destroy or block any architectural features.
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 as it contains a raised rectangular border and has raised individual 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 sign proposal denotes the blue color name, that the tan will match the existing, but does not have a color assigned for the “white” lettering. The colors seem to meet the intent of the sign the color requirements, but the “white” color will need to be provided to make that final determination. The Benjamin Moore (BM) Admiral Blue is a slightly darker and richer than the existing blue on the sign making it more in keeping with the dark/rich shades desired in the historic district.
For reference, the blue color on the lower image, which gives the dimensions of the sign, is the accurate representation of BM Admiral Blue. The blue color in the image of the building is not accurate. Staff is waiting for confirmation on the “white” color for the lettering. When the color is known, staff will send that information out a supplemental memo.
Colors: Backboard: Benjamin Moore Admiral Blue Stuart
Lettering: (waiting on the sign designer for this color)
Border: Tan to match existing
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 meets the material requirements. The existing backboard and border are made of wood. The lettering will be made of wood or 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: 22 ft. x 30 in. = 55 SF
Logo and lettering: 28 SF
60% of 55 SF: 33 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 does not take away from the era of the building. The sign has one lettering style and is a san-serif font that is the logo of Coldwell Banker.
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:
The wall sign will be illuminated with existing lighting.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the sign request, pending the color chosen for the “white” lettering, as it meets the signage criteria in Section 6 of Chapter 34 of the Land Development Code.