HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 PCSR Downtown Regional Serving Sign CUP/SDR m d_" �• psi STAFF REPORT
�� PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: September 11, 2012
TO: Planning Commission
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PLPA-2012-00042, Downtown Regional Serving
Sign Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review (CUP/SDR)
Prepared by Kristi Bascom, Principal Planner
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Applicant is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review
for the construction and ongoing operation of an 85 foot tall regional serving freestanding sign
as permitted by the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the
public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing
and deliberate; and 5) Adopt a Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site
Development Review for the construction and ongoing operation of an 85 foot tall regional
serving freestanding Downtown Sign as permitted by the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan.
Submitted By R iewed By
Principal Planner Acting Community
Development Director
COPIES TO: Applicant
File
ITEM NO.: •a
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G:IPA#120121PLPA-2012-00042 Downtown Display SDR-CUPIPCSR DD Sign CUP SDR.doc
DESCRIPTION:
Figure 1 Project Site
The project site is located at � �
7153 Amador Plaza Road. t '-'
� � . Proposed
� .�� N� . ''§'*� i� Sign Location '�-'
The project site has a Genera . 1-1' �,
Plan Land Use designation of % `
Downtown Dublin — Retail „ '"" _.44,,,,.:, � „ .
District and is located within �';' �� � '
the Downtown Dublin Specific , , ��
Plan Area. The site is zoned ,; � `' { . "� ,..
Downtown Dublin Zoning -.,
District. �0
The Applicants, Nicole Salmon , � �
and Charlie Stroud of �� a
Downtown Displays, are , ' .. °*, �,
proposing to erect an 85 foot ��`�'r
vet" 'fy' �� 4 �� 7
regional serving freestanding e
sign to meet the requirements ' ` � ; .
of the Downtown Dublin • �.; F � � R
Specific Plan. The City's goal �
in permitting this type of
structure is to provide the :
ability to advertise the �
businesses in the Downtown with a freeway-oriented sign that strongly reflects Dublin's civic
identity.
The sign is proposed to be located in a shopping center on the southeast corner of Amador
Valley Boulevard and Amador Plaza Road. The sign will be placed between the building
containing Sprouts Farmer's Market and Jo-Anne's Fabrics and Interstate 680, to the south of
The Floor Store.
ANALYSIS:
The Downtown Dublin Specific Plan (DDSP) provides sign guidelines in Chapter 4
(Development Standards and Design Guidelines). Section 4.4.6 (Signage) addresses a
regional-serving sign and notes the following:
"One regional serving sign may be permitted in the Specific Plan Area. This sign shall be
intended to create an identity marker for the downtown and to advertise the downtown
and businesses located within the downtown area. Advertising on this sign by businesses
located within the Specific Plan Area shall not be considered off-site signage. The owner
of the sign shall not prohibit regional or destination-serving downtown businesses from
locating on the sign and the sign shall be designed to accommodate a variety of
businesses in the Downtown Specific Plan Area. This sign will require a Conditional Use
Permit/Site Development Review and shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission."
Ovehe t year, City Staff have reviewed concept sign designs from other developer groups.
However, owntown Displays is the first group to have provided a sign design that is reflective
of Dublin's civic identity and one that provides a landmark statement for the Downtown with high
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quality materials and design elements. Please refer to the Project Plan Set, included as Exhibit
A to Attachment 1 for the proposed design and location of the proposed sign. The sign design
is highly compatible with the City's Streetscape Master Plan, the Dublin Boulevard identity
markers, and other civic directional signage around town. The sections below describe the sign
design and location in greater detail.
Location
The sign is proposed to be located in an existing parking lot landscaped island in between Jo-
Anne's Fabrics and Interstate 680. Downtown Displays is leasing a small portion of land from
the property owner, Red Mountain Development Group LLC, to install and operate the sign.
This location will allow the sign to have excellent visibility from the Interstate 680 corridor as well
as visibility from some sections of Interstate 580. The proposed location increases the potential
to draw customers to businesses located in Downtown Dublin. Sheet 2 of the Project Plan Set
(Exhibit A to Attachment 1) shows the proposed sign location.
Height
The bottom of the first sign panel is approximately 26 feet above grade, and the top of the sign
reaches 85 feet tall. A number of freeway-oriented signs have been permitted by the City in
recent years. The following table (Table 1) notes the height of each of these signs for purposes
of comparison.
Table 1: Freeway-oriented signage
Sign Location Sign Height
Fallon Gateway 99 feet (roughly matching adjacent freeway grade, but challenges
due to visibility on eastbound 580 due to freeway overcrossing)
Ikea (never installed) 99 feet (roughly matching adjacent freeway grade)
The Green on Park 85 feet (roughly matching adjacent freeway grade)
Place (never installed)
Dublin Toyota 78 feet (roughly matching adjacent freeway grade)
Hacienda Crossings 75 feet (3 signs - roughly matching adjacent freeway grade)
Grafton Station 75 feet (roughly matching adjacent freeway grade)
Dublin Auto Mall 62 feet (at or slightly below adjacent freeway grade)
Dublin Honda 45 feet (below adjacent freeway grade)
Downtown Safeway 45 foot tower element with signage (below adjacent freeway grade)
REI 40 foot tower element with signage (below adjacent freeway grade)
The overall height of the proposed Downtown Sign is substantial, but it is intended to provide
visibility for businesses throughout the 284-acre Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area. Due to
the fact that it is located 20 feet below the adjacent freeway grade, the effective height as
viewed from the freeway is a 65 foot sign. Additionally, the top 9'5" of the sign is for City
branding. Also, to make the construction and installation of the sign financially viable, the
Applicants need to have a certain number of tenants on the sign. The proposed design meets
the goals of the City from a high-quality design standard, and it is able to meet the needs of the
Applicant, who will bear all of the costs involved in constructing, installing, operating, and
maintaining the sign in compliance with this Conditional Use Permit and Site Development
Review approval.
Sheets 6 and 7 of the Project Plan Set provide photo-simulations of the sign on the proposed
site.
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Design and Materials
The sign is composed of three main elements: The base structure, the City identity
signage/branding, and the tenant panels. Each section is described in more detail below, and
the materials are called out specifically on Sheet 1 of the Project Plan Set (Exhibit A to
Attachment 1).
1. Sign Structure. The base structure of the freestanding sign will be a bronze-colored
aluminum square base that has a footprint of 8'5" by 8'5". The structure is a solid square
at ground level, but beginning at approximately 18 feet from the ground, the structure
opens up to a clover panel background that matches the design of the Dublin Boulevard
identity markers, bridge crossings, and other median fixtures. During the daytime the
green clovers are set against a black background. At night, the interior of the 8'5" square
structure is illuminated and the clovers go dark set against the illumination from the
interior of the structure. Condition of Approval 12 regulates the modulation of the interior
lighting, noting that the colors can change seasonally, but the default illumination will be
warm white or other subtle, subdued colors. The Condition of Approval prohibits bold,
bright illumination or employing a strobe effect. Sheet 4 of the Project Plan Set provides
more detail on the interior LED light fixtures that provides illumination and Sheet 9
provides a nighttime view of the sign.
2. City identity signage/branding. The top 9'5" of the sign is the City of Dublin logo and
shamrock, matching the colors, materials, and look of the Dublin Boulevard identity
markers with a bronze-colored background and gold metallic lettering. At night, the City
logo is backlit ("halo" lit) with a subtle white light. Running down the length of the sign,
sitting atop a 27 foot bronze blade, is the word "Downtown", which is crafted from
aluminum featuring individual gold metallic letters that are illuminated from within. At
night, "Downtown" is illuminated white, as shown on Sheet 9 of the Project Plan Set.
3. Tenant Sign Panels. There are seven tenant sign panels each on two sides of the sign,
for a total of fourteen panels. The bottom sign panel is intended to be used by two
tenants with smaller signs. Sheets 1 and 3 of the Project Plan Set detail the size of each
sign panel and the maximum copy area that is available for the tenant signage on each
panel. Condition of Approval 11 notes the design guidelines for the tenant signage.
Requirements include individual illuminated letters only with a letter depth not to exceed 5
inches, the tenant panels will all have the same opaque white background with the
letters/logo/graphics only illuminated from within, and no animated or changeable copy
signs are allowed. Sheets 8 and 9 of the Project Plan Set illustrate the design and
nighttime illumination of the individual tenant sign panels.
Site and Landscape Modifications
Changes will be needed to the project site in order to accommodate the installation of the
Downtown Sign. The landscaping in the existing planter area will be modified to accommodate
the proposed sign. Additionally, the Applicant proposes to remove six pine trees along the
perimeter of the site adjacent to the Zone 7 canal so the sign is visible. The pine trees are
estimated to range from 30-40 feet tall and would obstruct the lower sign panels if left in place.
The six pine trees were examined by a local tree contractor and were described to be in
generally good health, between 10-25 years old, but top heavy due to a lack of pruning and
shaping. Photos of the trees proposed for removal are on Sheet 11 of the Project Plan Set.
In place of the pine trees being removed, the Applicant's will install five 15-gallon sized crepe
myrtle trees and seven 15-gallon sized oleanders in the general vicinity of the sign to match the
existing landscape palette of the shopping center. Additionally, the shrubs and groundcover in
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the planter area where the sign is proposed to be located will be refreshed once the sign is
installed.
Other site modifications include the removal of one parking lot light fixture. Condition of
Approval No. 13 requires the Applicant to install additional site lighting if it is determined that the
lighting level of the parking field falls below the minimum security requirements once the
Downtown Sign is installed and operational.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), together with the State Guidelines and City
Environmental Regulations, require that certain projects be reviewed for environmental impacts
and when applicable, environmental documents prepared. Staff is recommending that the
Planning Commission find this project exempt from CEQA in accordance with Section 15332
(In-fill Development Projects in compliance with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, not
occurring on land with habitat value, and served by existing utilities and public services).
CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, SPECIFIC PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE:
Project is consistent with the Downtown Dublin — Retail District General Plan land use
designation for the site and is also consistent with the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan, which
states that one regional-serving freeway-oriented sign can be permitted with a Conditional Use
Permit and Site Development Review approved by the Planning Commission.
REVIEW BY APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES:
The Building Division, Fire Prevention Bureau, Public Works Department, Dublin Police Services
and Dublin San Ramon Services District have reviewed the project and, where appropriate,
have provided Conditions of Approval to ensure that the project is established in compliance
with all local ordinances and regulations. Conditions of Approval from these departments and
agencies have been included in the attached Resolution (Attachment 1).
Additionally, because the sign is located adjacent to Interstate 680, Condition of Approval No.
10 requires that the Applicant procure any permits that may be required from the State of
California Department of Transportation.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
In accordance with State law, a Public Notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants
within 300 feet of the proposed Project. A Public Notice was also published in the Valley Times
and posted at several locations throughout the City. A copy of this Staff Report was also
provided to the Applicant and the property owner.
ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site
Development Review for the construction and ongoing
operation of an 85 foot tall regional serving freestanding
Downtown Sign as permitted by the Downtown Dublin Specific
Plan, with the Project Plan Set included as Exhibit A.
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GENERAL INFORMATION:
APPLICANT: Nicole Salmon, Downtown Displays, 1534 Rancho View Dr,
Lafayette, CA 94549
PROPERTY OWNER: Eric Nelson, Red Mountain Retail Group, Inc., 1237 E. 17th
Street, Santa Ana, CA
LOCATION: 7153 Amador Plaza Road
ASSESSORS PARCEL
NUMBER: APN 941-0305-037-00
GENERAL PLAN
LAND USE DESIGNATION: Downtown Dublin/Retail District
SPECIFIC PLAN
LAND USE DESIGNATION: Downtown Dublin Specific Plan
SURROUNDING USES:
LOCATION ZONING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CURRENT USE OF
PROPERTY
North DDZD Downtown Dublin/Retail District Retail Shopping Center
South DDZD Downtown Dublin/Retail District Retail/Office
West DDZD Downtown Dublin/Retail District Retail Shopping Center
East DDZD n/a Interstate 680
REFERENCES:
General Plan
Downtown Dublin Specific Plan
Zoning Ordinance
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