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ARC 2019-07-15_08a Kmart PSP Amendment MEMORANDUM TO: ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FROM: MATTHEW DOWNING, PLANNING MANAGER SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM 19-002; REVISION TO PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM 18-002 FOR TENANT WALL SIGNAGE AND THIRTY-TWO FOOT (32’) TALL FREEWAY SIGN; LOCATION – 1570 W. BRANCH STREET; APPLICANT – RICK GAMBRIL; REPRESENTATIVE – RRM DESIGN GROUP DATE: JULY 15, 2019 SUMMARY OF ACTION: Approval of the sign program would set criteria by which future tenant signage would be approved. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: None. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) review the proposed project and make a recommendation to the Planning Commission. BACKGROUND: The subject property is a previously developed commercial parcel located in the Regional Commercial (RC) zoning district. The parcel is developed with an approximately 82,500 square foot commercial structure, most recently operated by K- Mart. The Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit 18-004 on September 4, 2018, and Planned Sign Program 18-002 on February 19, 2019. During consideration of Planned Sign Program 18-002, public comments were made regarding the monument sign height being consistent with the monument sign nearest the bank in the shopping center (32 feet tall). However, the monument sign was approved at the requested twenty feet (20’). Subsequent to these approvals, Amended Conditional Use Permit 19-001 was approved on April 2, 2019, which allowed the further interior division of the former K-Mart building into six (6) tenant spaces, as well as entitling an 1,800 square foot drive-thru commercial building pad in the parking lot (Attachment 1). The applicant has returned with a revision to the previously approved master sign program for the six (6) commercial tenants, sign criteria for the drive-thru building, and a thirty-two foot (32”) tall freeway sign (Attachment 2). The master sign program, if Item 8.a. - Page 1 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM 19-001 JULY 15, 2019 PAGE 2 approved, would serve as the criteria by which future sign proposals are evaluated for consistency. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: The sign program states that its goal is to achieve visually coordinated, balanced, and attractive signs for the new tenants and to upgrade the site environment. The sign program is broken down into six (6) sections, including an Introduction, Sign Approval Procedures, General Sign Criteria & Guidelines, Tenant Spaces A-F Sign Criteria, Tenant Space G Sign Criteria, and Monument Signage. Wall Signs The sign program proposes one (1) wall sign per tenant for the six (6) tenant building. These signs would be internally illuminated channel letter signs with acrylic faces and internal LED illumination. Signs would be located above tenant entrances, no larger than five feet (5’) in height if two (2) lines of copy are proposed. The signs would be proportionally fit into the sign spaces, with signs not closer than one foot (1’) from the edge of the tenant’s storefront fascia or any architectural feature. The sign program proposes for each tenant to be allowed secondary wall signs as well. The intent of the secondary signs would not be main identification for the tenant space, but would provide more information about goods or services provided. The former building tenant had similar accessory signage for the “Garden Shop”. These signs would be limited to one line of text, eighteen inches (18”) tall, placed on parking lot facing walls but not directly above tenant entries, and limited by a total area outlined in the sign program. Total allowed sign area would be generally based on linear frontage of each tenant space, as shown in Table 1 below. For comparison purposes, Table 2 below shows the previously approved sign area from the original sign program. Table 1. Proposed Sign Area Tenant Space Primary Sign Secondary Sign(s) Total A 70 square feet 30 square feet 100 square feet B 40-70 square feet Up to 30 square feet 100 square feet C 70 square feet 30 square feet 100 square feet D 50 square feet 50 square feet E 40-70 square feet Up to 30 square feet 70 square feet F 50 square feet 50 square feet Totals 320 – 380 square feet Up to 120 square feet 470 square feet Table 2. Previously Approved Sign Area Tenant Space Primary Sign Secondary Sign(s) Total A 40-70 square feet Up to 30 square feet 70 square feet B 70 square feet 30 square feet 100 square feet C 100 square feet 50 square feet 150 square feet Totals 210 – 240 square feet Up to 110 square feet 320 square feet Item 8.a. - Page 2 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM 19-001 JULY 15, 2019 PAGE 3 The Municipal Code typically limits individual signs to be no more than seventy (70) square feet. The previous sign program allowed for some signs to be larger than this limit; however, the revised sign program proposes that no individual sign will be larger than seventy (70) square feet. Freestanding Pad Building Sign Criteria The final design of the drive-thru building, known as the Freestanding Pad Building in the sign program, has not yet been determined or approved. Due to the proposed amendments to the sign program for the reconfiguration of the existing building, the applicant was encouraged to consider signage criteria for the drive-thru building in order to eliminate additional sign program revisions. Accordingly, the applicant has proposed the following sign criteria for the drive-thru building: 1. Internally illuminated channel letters OR backlit channel letters (cabinet signs prohibited); 2. Four (4) wall signs total; a. 1.5 square feet of sign area per linear foot of building frontage; b. No sign larger than seventy (70) square feet; and c. Maximum of 200 square feet of wall sign area. 3. Incidental and directional signs no larger than sixteen (16) square feet; and 4. No sign shall be less than one foot (1’) from the edge of the tenant’s storefront fascia or architectural feature. Monument Sign An additional component of the sign program is the proposed freeway sign. The revised monument sign is proposed to be thirty-two feet (32’) tall, consistent with the neighboring monument sign in front of the bank, and located at the primary entrance near the new drive-thru building. The design of the sign remains a heavy timber look built upon horizontal rock pedestals. The sign is proposed to be double-sided, placed perpendicular to W. Branch Street so as to be seen from both directions. Six (6) signs are proposed on the structure, including the project’s name and applicable logo and up to five (5) sign panels for the tenants. Total sign area of the monument sign is proposed to be just under fifty (50) square feet, as shown in Table 2 below: Table 2. Monument Sign Area Allocations Project Name 18.6 sq. ft. Major Tenant A 10 sq. ft. Major Tenant B 10 sq. ft. Major Tenant C 10 sq. ft. Major Tenant D 10 sq. ft. Major Tenant E 10 sq. ft. Total 68.6 sq. ft. Item 8.a. - Page 3 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM 19-001 JULY 15, 2019 PAGE 4 While not directly called out in the sign program, it is anticipated that the monument sign would be internally illuminated, consistent with the previous sign program. Municipal Code Section 16.60.040-A, No. 5 states that a Planned Sign Program is required “for commercial complexes with 9 or more tenants within Regional Commercial and all mixed use zoning districts OR within 300 feet of HWY 101 right-of-way.” Planned Sign Programs have enabled discretion to allow tenant names on the sign if the complex is located away from a public street frontage and is concealed from passers- by. As proposed, the monument sign meets the requirements of the Municipal Code. In total, proposed sign area for the 87,000 square foot building with approximately 411 linear feet of frontage would be approximately 538 square feet and upwards of 210 additional square feet of sign area, if the drive-thru building is permitted to have a sign on the monument sign, for the drive-thru building with approximately 95 linear feet of frontage. ADVANTAGES: The sign program will result in cohesive sign design for a portion of the Oak Park Plaza, which is important due to the commercial space being divided into six (6) separate tenants and a new drive-thru building. The height of the freeway sign being consistent with the height of the adjacent freeway sign in front of the bank makes the signage more visually cohesive, as previously expressed through public comment. DISADVANTAGES: The sign program is written in such a way that a large number of accessory signs could be included for each of the tenant spaces. However, these signs would be reviewed during sign permit processing and item of concern would be routed to the ARC for consideration. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and has been determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Sections 15301(e)(2) of the CEQA Guidelines regarding existing facilities. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENT: The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2. One comment regarding the sign program has been received. Attachments: 1. Approved site plan for Amended Conditional Use Permit 19-001 2. Comment letter regarding proposed project 3. Proposed Master Sign Program Item 8.a. - Page 4 1570 WEST BRANCH STREET, ARROYO GRANDE, CAA4WEST BRANCH STREET TENANT AND FACADE UPDATEARCHITECTURAL SITE PLANSCALE: 1” = 40’- 0” (24”X36” SHEET)1192-03-CO19 March 25, 2019SITE LEASING AND CONCEPT PLANNORTHATTACHMENT 1Item 8.a. - Page 5 ATTACHMENT 2 Item 8.a. - Page 6 master sign program Prepared by: RRM Design Group NEW TENANT SPACES 1570 WEST BRANCH STREET CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE MAY 2019 Prepared for: Rick Gambril ATTACHMENT 3 Item 8.a. - Page 7 Table of Contents Page No. I. Introduction 1-2 II. Sign Approval Procedures 3 III. General Sign Criteria & Guidelines 4-5 IV. Tenant Spaces A-F Sign Criteria (Main Building) 6-8 V. Tenant Space G Sign Criteria (Freestanding Pad Building) 9 VI. Monument Signage 10 Item 8.a. - Page 8 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 1 I. Introduction The Oak Park Plaza is a shopping center complex that includes several different property owners and various types and styles of development that occurred independently over time. A Sign Program was prepared for the southerly two-story office building which includes guidance for smaller-scale wall signs for individual tenants within that building. The building at the rear of the site at 1570 West Branch Street had one sign identifying the past tenant K-Mart in the center of the façade and no identification with a street sign. Other major tenants within the greater shopping center area include Carl’s Junior, Coast Hills Bank, and the Quarterdeck Restaurant that are all located on separately owned parcels and have their own distinct signage. Exhibit 1 – Site Plan and Signage Scope Item 8.a. - Page 9 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 2 The intent of this Sign Program is to establish sign envelopes and specific design guidance for tenant signage for Tenant Spaces A-F in the rear central building which was the former K-Mart at 1570 West Branch Street (APN 077-771-068), as well as Tenant Space G in the freestanding pad building. This Sign Program is an update to a previous version of the program that was approved by the City Planning Commission on February 19, 2019. The Sign Program is tied to Amended Conditional Use Permit 19-001 approved by the City Planning Commission on April 2, 2019, which allowed the former K-Mart building to be divided into up to six separate tenant spaces along with some modifications to approved uses and proposed lease areas, and included approval of the freestanding pad building. The Amended Conditional Use Permit is an amendment to Conditional Use Permit 18-001 which was approved on September 4, 2018. The goal of this Sign Program is to achieve visually coordinated, balanced and attractive signs for the new tenants and to upgrade the site environment, in accordance with the City of Arroyo Grande and its adopted sign requirements. It is understood that individual tenants must secure permits from the City of Arroyo Grande for any proposed signage. Conformance of submitted sign permit applications with this sign criteria shall be strictly enforced by the City of Arroyo Grande. Any nonconforming or illegally installed signs shall be removed by the tenant or his sign contractor at their expense, upon demand by the City. All signs meeting the requirements of the Sign Program shall be administratively approved by the Planning Department. Item 8.a. - Page 10 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 3 II. Sign Approval Procedures 1. All tenant storefront identification signs shall be subject to approval, in writing, from the owner. The tenant shall submit preliminary sign drawings to the owner for his review at the time of preliminary store design review. 2. The tenant shall submit to the owner, for written approval, three (3) copies of the final scaled shop drawings of the proposed sign showing materials, colors, finishes and dimensions. These drawings shall indicate conformance with the sign criteria herein outlined and one copy shall be in full color. Send to: Rick Gambril 547 Five Cities Drive Pismo Beach, CA 93449 3. The tenant shall submit drawings, approved and stamped by the owner, to the City of Arroyo Grande Community Development Department (Planning Division) for approval prior to obtaining a sign permit from the Building Division. 4. The tenant shall pay for all signs, their installation (including final connection, transformers and all other labor and materials) and maintenance. 5. The tenant shall obtain all necessary permits. 6. Future major tenants unable to conform with the approved sign criteria outlined in this document shall pursue needed approvals as directed by the City of Arroyo Grande Planning Division. Item 8.a. - Page 11 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 4 III. General Sign Criteria & Guidelines 1. Permitted signage content shall be limited to the tenant’s trade name and logo, as approved in the lease and in the City of Arroyo Grande Business License. 2. Any tenant with registered trademarks or recognized logos shall be permitted to use them subject to approval by the City of Arroyo Grande Planning Division. The area of said trademark or logo shall be calculated within the total sign area permitted for such tenant. 3. All signs and sign structures, as well as the immediate premises surrounding them, shall be well maintained by the tenant. Any cracked or broken surfaces and malfunctioning or damaged portions of a sign shall be repaired or replaced within thirty (30) days of either notification from the Landlord or the City of Arroyo Grande Planning Division. 4. In the event of a tenant vacancy, the tenant shall remove all wall signs. All holes left by the sign shall be repaired and painted to match exterior building color. 5. Sign illumination should be maintained from dusk to closure of business. Except for a 24-hour business, signs shall not be illuminated after 10:00 p.m. or close of business, whichever is later. 6. In general, illumination should be internal to individual signs. If external light fixtures are used for illumination, light sources shall be shielded and directed so that light or glare does not shine above the horizontal plane of the top of the sign. 7. In addition to complying with maximum square footages and other applicable criteria, signs shall appear balanced and in scale with the context of the sign space allotted and the overall building. Signs shall be centered over each Tenant space unless otherwise directed by the Landlords and approved by the City of Arroyo Grande Planning Division. 8. No animated, revolving, flashing, or audible signs shall be permitted. In addition, vehicle- mounted commercial signs, roof signs, and portable signs not permitted by the City, are also prohibited. 9. Banner, window, and other temporary signs are subject to the provisions of the City’s Sign Regulations. Item 8.a. - Page 12 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 5 10. All signs and installation of signs shall conform to the appropriate building and electrical codes. Letters shall have disconnecting switches and bear the U.L. label. Each tenant shall be fully responsible for the operations of their sign contractor. 11. All conduits, raceway, transformers, junction boxes, openings in building surfaces, etc., shall be concealed. Exposed hardware shall be finished in a manner consistent with quality fabrication practices. All finished signs shall be pegged from the wall. 12. It is the responsibility of the tenant’s sign company to verify all conduit and transformer locations and service prior to fabrication. 13. The tenant shall supply electrical stubs at fascia for approved internally illuminated channelized letter signs. Electrical service to tenant signs shall extend to the house panel of each building. Item 8.a. - Page 13 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 6 IV. Tenant Spaces A-F Sign Criteria (Main Building) 1. All wall signs shall be constructed as one of the following sign types: a. Internally illuminated individual channel letters with acrylic plastic faces with a minimum thickness of 3/16”. Internal illumination is to be 60 mili-amp LED, installed and labeled in accordance with the “National Board of Fire Underwriters Specifications.” b. Internally illuminated cabinet signs are prohibited; however, sign ‘cans’ shall be permitted as secondary features if they represent a company logo. c. Individual backlit channel letters. 2. Up to six tenant spaces are proposed within the former K-Mart building; a. Tenant Space A –20,856 square feet and 100’ of linear frontage. b. Tenant Space B – 16,734 square feet and 80’ feet of linear frontage. c. Tenant Space C – 23,064 square feet and 110’ of linear frontage. d. Tenant Space D – 6,631 square feet and 48’4” of lineal frontage. e. Tenant Space E – 10,075 square feet and 72’ of lineal frontage. f. Tenant Space F – 7,081 square feet and 120’4” of lineal frontage (rear-facing). 3. Signage area allocations above are based on the overall size of the tenant spaces to be proportional with business facades. 4. Allowed Signage areas for Tenant Spaces shall be consistent with the criteria provided in Table 1 below. Table 1- Allowed Sign Areas1 Tenant Space Primary Sign Secondary Sign(s) Total A 70 square feet 30 square feet 100 square feet B 40-70 square feet Up to 30 square feet 70 square feet C 70 square feet 30 square feet 100 square feet D 50 square feet 50 square feet E 40-70 square feet Up to 30 square feet 70 square feet F 50 square feet 50 square feet 1 If tenant spaces D & E are combined into one large space, then the criteria for Tenant Spaces A & C would be applied. Item 8.a. - Page 14 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 7 5. Primary Wall Signs shall not exceed a maximum sign height of 5 feet and two lines of copy (see Exhibit 2 below): a. First line maximum of 36 inches; b. Second line maximum of 18 inches. Exhibit 2 – Primary Wall Sign 6. Secondary Wall Signs: a. One line maximum of 18 inches. b. These ancillary signs would be placed on walls of a tenant space not directly above entries. c. These signs are not restricted in number, but the total area of secondary signs may not exceed the allowed areas contained in Table 1. 7. Signs shall not be less than (1) one foot from the edge of a tenant’s storefront fascia or any architectural feature. Item 8.a. - Page 15 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 8 8. Sign Area computation shall be in accordance with City Municipal Code Section 16.60.030B, which states: a. The surface area of a sign shall be the total number of square feet calculated by enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, logo, representation, emblem, or other display, together with any frame, background area, structural trim, or other material or color forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or surface against which it is placed, within a single continuous perimeter composed of circles, squares or rectangles. b. Supporting framework or bracing that is clearly incidental to the display itself shall not be included as sign surface area. c. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all of the area, including the area between the sections of modules, shall be included in the computation of sign surface area. Sections or modules must touch one another to count as one sign. Item 8.a. - Page 16 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 9 V. Tenant Space G Sign Criteria (Freestanding Pad Building) 1. All wall signs shall be constructed as one of the following sign types: a. Internally illuminated individual channel letters with acrylic plastic faces with a minimum thickness of 3/16”. Internal illumination is to be 60 mili-amp LED, installed and labeled in accordance with the “National Board of Fire Underwriters Specifications.” b. Internally illuminated cabinet signs are prohibited; however, sign ‘cans’ shall be permitted as secondary features if they represent a company logo. c. Individual backlit channel letters. 2. A total of four (4) wall signs may be installed. Sign area is limited to 1.5 square feet per linear foot of building frontage, not to exceed 70 square feet per sign. Total signage for the pad building shall not exceed 200 square feet. 3. Per Municipal Code Section 16.60.030F, signs that are incidental or supplemental to the drive-through use, such as menu boards and directional signs, do not count towards the permitted signage if they are no larger than sixteen (16) square feet. 4. Signs shall not be less than (1) one foot from the edge of a tenant’s storefront fascia or any architectural feature. 5. Sign Area computation shall be in accordance with City Municipal Code Section 16.60.030B, which states: a. The surface area of a sign shall be the total number of square feet calculated by enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, logo, representation, emblem, or other display, together with any frame, background area, structural trim, or other material or color forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or surface against which it is placed, within a single continuous perimeter composed of circles, squares or rectangles. b. Supporting framework or bracing that is clearly incidental to the display itself shall not be included as sign surface area. c. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all of the area, including the area between the sections of modules, shall be included in the computation of sign surface area. Sections or modules must touch one another to count as one sign. Item 8.a. - Page 17 1570 West Branch Street Sign Program – Page 10 VI. Monument Signage One (1) monument sign shall be permitted in the landscaped planter along West Branch Street (See Exhibit 1 for sign location). The sign shall be a maximum of 32 feet in height, double faced and contain up to six (6) tenant names. One panel of the sign may be utilized by the tenant occupying the freestanding pad building in the front parking lot area. Sign panels on the monument sign would be limited to: 1) Thirty-two-inch height with a maximum of 24-inch letters and logos for the top tenant name panel; and 2) Two-foot height with a maximum of 18-inch letters and logos for the lower tenant panels. Exhibit 3 – Proposed New Monument Signage Concept Individual tenant panels shall be constructed of a consistent durable outdoor material, such as metal and wood-appearing composites, that have a matte rather than glossy finish. The panel background colors shall be dark and opaque, and illumination shall be limited to the letters themselves. Item 8.a. - Page 18