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Home My WebLink About87-018 Enea Plaza 12/1/87TO: FROM: SUBJECT: CITY OF DUBLIN AGENDA STATEMENT/STAFF REPORT Meeting Date: December 1, 1987 - 9:30 a.m. Zoning Administrator Planning Staff ~ PA 87-161 The Good Guys (Applicants)/Enea Properties Company (~ners) - Sign Location Variance request~ southwest corner of Amador Plaza Road and Dublin Boulevard. GENERAL INFORMATION: PROJECT: APPLICANTS/ REPRESENTATIVE: OWNERS/ REPRESENTATIVE: PROPERTY AND ZONING: Sign Locaticn Variance request to establish a Wall-mounted Business Sign which is not located on a Primary or Secondary Building Frontage of the retail ~pace which it is proposed to identify. The Good Guys, Inc. Attn.: Gregg Steele 1649 Adrian Road Burlingame, CA 94010 Enea Proper~ie~ Company Attn.: Rob~rt Enea 6670 Amador Plaza Road Dublin, CA 94568 Southwest Corner of Amador Plaza Road and Dublin 3oulevard Zoning: PD, Planned Development District (APN: 941-1500-40) SURROUNDING LAND USE A_ND ZONING: North: East: South: West: C-I, Retail Business District and C-2, General Commercial District - Mixed retail uses and an automobile dealership. PD, Planned Development District - Remainder of Enea Plaza Shopping Center and a theater complex. PD, Planned Development District - Vacant portion of Enea Properties Company holding. C-2 General Commercial District - Automobile dealership. APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: Section 8-87.33 a) of the Zoning Ozdinance establishes maximum dimensional criteria for Wall Signs. Th~ criteria establishes specific dimensions for the Primary and Secondary Frontages of the projection of the business building they identify. Sectio~.s 8-87.10 p) and s), Definitions for Primary and Secondary Building Frontages, establish that sign area accrued and authorized by one frontage may not be attached to any other building frontage. COPIES TO: Applicants O~er S Files PA 87-161 Section 8-93.0 (Variance) indicates that the strict terms of the Zoning Ordinance may be varied in specific cases upon affirmative findings of fact upon each of the following three requirements: a) That there are special circumstances including size, shape, topo- graphy, location or surroundings, applicable to the property which deprive the property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity under the identical zoning classification. That the granting of the application will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone. c) That the granting of the application will not be detrimental to persons or property in the neighborhood or to the public welfare. Section 8-93.1 - .4 establishes the procedures, required action and effective date for granting or denying a Variance, and indicates the granting of a Variance shall be subject to conditions, limitations and guarantees. EbIVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Categorically Exempt NOTIFICATION: Public Notice of the December 1, 1987, hearing was published in The Herald, mailed to adjacent property owners, and posted in public' buildings. ~YALYSIS: The 5.8+ acre property is partially oqcupied by the western portion of the Enea Plaza Shopping Center. This center is currently under development as a three-building - 42,000 square foot center (under approvals granted for PA 86-051 and PA 87-019). The sign which has prompted the subject application involves signage proposed for The Good Guys Tenant Space in Building B. Building B is currently under construction and will be built as a 20,000± square foot single-story structure. The Good Guys outlet is proposed to occupy the southerly 15,000~ square feet on the structure, and would be the largest single tenant in the center. Building B has been built with a one (1)-foot + setback from the westerly property boundary. This entire building elevation~ totaling over 300 feet in length, is not entitled to receive wall- mounted signage under the City's Sign Ordinance Regulations, as the elevation does not qualify as either a Primary or Secondary Building Frontage. The Applicant's Written Statement indicates that the proposed tenant space for The Good Guys outlet would qualify for 208.9± square feet of wall signs (assumes Site Development Review approval to achieve 10% primary building frontage coverage and 7 1/2% secondary building frontage coverage). The Applicants have submitted two possible sign schemes. The first scheme shows what would theoretically be allowed under the Sign Ordinance Regulations (five signs spread across the north, east, and south building elevations). The second scheme, the Applicant's preferred scheme, drops the sign from the south building elevation, while adding a sign to the west building elevation. The sign proposed on the west building elevation triggered the Sign Location Variance request. The Applicant indicates that under the second scheme, the total aggregate area of signage proposed would be less than the theoretical total which would be allowed under the City's Sign Ordinance Regulations. It should be noted that both schemes detail use of 40" high letters, which has not been approved to date by the City. Background Attachment 3 reflects the City approvals granned to a previously-submitted sign program for both The Good Guys outlet and the Pier 1 Imports outlet, .~hich limited the maximum letter height to 30". -2- The Applicants are proposing to add "some architectural dimension" to Building B's west elevation in the vicinity of the proposed wall sign by offering to supply 45+ linear feet of brick column "skin" which would match the 60+ linear feet o~ treatment which will be supplied at the northernmost portion of Building B's west building elevation. Even without approval of the proposed non-contiguous Wall-mounted Sign, The Good Guys proposed tenant space would have Wall-Mounted Signs which would be visible from both a major arterial roadway (Dublin Boulevard) and an arterial street (Amador Plaza Road). On a separate but related item, it must be noted that a building permit for tenant improvements for The Good Guys outlet cannot be given Zoning release until the Conditions of Approval from the PD, Planned Development Rezoning covering the site are complied with. Specifically, Condition #5 c and d of PA 87-018 requires that the Developers enter into a recorded agreement embodying the PD Rezoning Conditions requiring dedication and construction of the segment of the proposed road which passes through the southern portion of the subject property (roadway will ultimately provide a new roadway link between Regional Street and ~mador Plaza Road, parallel to Dublin Boulevard). To date, the Developers of the center (the Enea Properties Company) have not complied with this requirement. Prior to granting a Variance, three affirmative findings of fact must be made. Staff's response to the mandatory findings are as follows: FINDING A: A. That there are special circumstances including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, applicable to the property which deprive the property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity under the identical zoning classification. STAFF RESPONSE: There are no special circumstances related to size, shape, topography, location or surroundings of The Good Guys proposed tenant space or Building B of the Enea Plaza Shopping Center which would warrant granting a Sign Location Variance, in that the visibility of the subject tenant space is commensurate with others within the immediate vicinity and zone, given Building B's visual relationship to a major arterial roadway (Dublin Boulevard) and collector street (Amador Plaza Road). FINDING B That the granting of the application will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone. STAFF RESPONSE: There is nothing unique or special regarding the size, shape or topo- graphy of the proposed Tenant Space or Building B which would preclude the Applicant from maintaining a strict compliance with the locationa! requirements for Wall Signs (i.e., placement of signage on the Primary and Secondary Frontages ~ill yield parity with other properties in the vicinity and Zone). The granting of this Variance would constitute a special privilege and may set an inappropriate precedent for similar, future Sign Location Variance requests. FINDING C That the granting of the application will not be detrimental to persons or property in the neighborhood or to the public welfare. STAFF RESPONSE: The granting of this Sign Location Variance would not be detrimental to persons or property in that establishing The Good Guys Wall Sign would create signage of a uniform design of that proposed for the remainder of Building B. Staff recommends denial of the Applicant's Sign Location Variance request in that an affirmative response to all three findings of fact cannot be made, RECOMMENDATION: FORMAT: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Open public hearing and hear Staff presentation. Take testimony from Applicant and the public. Question Staff, Applicant and the public. Close public hearing and deliberate. Consider and act on a Draft Resolution which denies the Sign Location Variance request, or give Staff and Applicant direction and continue the matter. ACTION: Staff recommends the Zoning Administrator adopt attached Resolution A, which denies the Sign Location Variance request. ATTACHMENTS: Exhibit A - Draft Resolution Denyng the Szgn,Locatzon Variance Request submitted under PA 87-161 Exhibit B - Sign Location Variance Reqhest Submittals Background Attachments: Zoning Map Applicant's Written Statement Previous approval on sign submittal for The Good Guys and Pier 1 Imports Letter from Patrick Costello, President, Crown Chevrolet -4- RESOLUTION NO. 87 - A RESOLUTION OF THE DUBLIN ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DENYING PA 87-161 THE GOOD GUYS (APPLICANTS)/ ENEA PROPERTIES COMPANY (OWNERS) - SIGN LOCATION VARIANCE REQUEST, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DUBLIN BOULEVARD AND AMADOR PLAZA ROAD WHEREAS, Gregg Steele, on behalf of The Good Guys, Inc., has filed an application for a Sign Location Variance from Sections 8-87.33 and 8-87.10 p) and s) of the City's Zoning Ordinance to allow construction of a Wall- mounted Business Sign which is not located on the Primary or Secondary Building Frontage of the retail space which it is proposed to identify; and WHEREAS, the application has been reviewed in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act and has been found to be categorically exempt; and WHEREAS, the Zoning Administrator held a public hearing on said application on December 1, 1987: and W~HEREAS, proper notice of said public hearing was given in all respects as required by law; and WHEREAS, a Staff Report was submitted recommending denial of the Variance application; and WHEREAS, the Zoning Administrator heard and considered all said reports, recommendations and testimony as hereinabove set forth; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Dublin Zoning Administrator does hereby find that: A. There are no special circumstances related to size, shape, topography, location or surroundings of The Good Guys tenant space or Building B of the Enea Plaza Shopping Center which would warrant granting a Sign Location Variance, in that the visibility of the subject tenant space is commensurate with others within the immediate vicinity and zone, given Building B's visual relationship to a major arterial roadway (Dublin Boulevard) and collector street (Amador Plaza Road). B. There is nothing unique or special regarding the size, shape or topo- graphy of the proposed Good Guys Tenant Space or Building B which would preclude the Applicants from maintaining a strict compliance with the locational requirements for Wall Signs. The granting of this Variance would constitute a special privilege and may set an inappropriate precedent for similar, future Variance requests. C. The granting of this Sign Location Variance would not be detrimental to persons or property in that establishing The Good Guys proposed Wall Sign would create signage of a uniform design and location of that proposed for the remainder of Building A. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE Zoning Administrator does hereby deny Sign Location Variance PA 87-161. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 1st day of December, 1987. ATTEST: Zoning kdministrator Senior Planner . _ .. ii:-j-J .'..'~...:. _m ~1. ! / / 1 A 'PA~T OF ZONING ,MAP THE CITY OF DUBLIN SIGN PROPOSAL FOR THE GOOD GUYS! ENEA PLAZA Dublin, California THE COOD GUYS! are applying fcra sign variance based on their need for visibility from vehicular traffic traveling East on Dublin Boulevard, which is critical for the viability of this site. Enea Plaza is situated in such a way that visibility from Dublin Boulevard is significantly more important to a retailer than visibility from Amador Plaza Road. THE GOOD GUYS! are convinced that without proper signage on the West Elevation, we would be denied the consumer recognition enjoyed by other retailers on Dublin Boulevard and other main thoroughfares in the City of Dublin. Obviously, proper signage directly, relates to the success of a GOOD GUYS! store in terms cf increased sales volume, which in turn benefits the City of Dublin. Additionally, we would be creating approximately 39 to 49 new job opportunities. The calculations for signage are based on~ 15,9~ square foot store which makes THE GOOD GUYS! the largest tenant in the Shopping Center. As an anchor tenant the size of the store allows more sicnage than may be needed. Even with the variance granted there Qill be fewer signs than if the space were leased to several smaller tenants. According to the sign ordinance,' we are'permitted to have a maximum of 2~8.9 sc. ft. of signage on the East Elevation, which is 19% cf the sion'area of the primary building frontage and a maximum of 67.5~'square feet cf si~nage total on the North and South elevations, which is 7.5% cf the sign area of the secondary building frontages. Plan A illustrates five separate signs which represent~ the number and square footage permitted within the parameters of the Sign Ordinance. I~ Plan B, we are proposing two signs on our primary building frontage (East Elevation) measuring 2.5' x 27' each. Since we are utilizin= only 135 sq. ft. cf the maximum 298.9 sq. ft. permitted, w~ propose an additional sign on the West Elevation measuring 2.5' x 27'. Alsc, we propose at cur cost, the additio~ of some architectural dimepsien on the West Elevation consistent with the existing design of the center; the ~enefit to the City and public is a more attractive apgearance than what exists. (Cont'd. .) With regard to secondary building frontages, we propose one sign measuring 2.5' x 27' on the North Elevation which meets the requirement of 7.5% of the sign area of the secondary building frontages. Plan B, consequently, illustrates THE GOOD GUYS~ signage proposal which requests a total of only four signs instead of the five shown in Plan B. This also represents less sign square footage than allowed by the sign ordinance. Enea Plaza Shopping Center has'been built to take advantage of the desirable exposure and high-traffic count on Dublin Blvd., not Amador Plaza Road. However, due to the location of our space within this building, we are denied %hat exposure unless signage is allowed on the West Elevation. THE GOOD ~ G~eele Vice President of Real Estate DO.~37 ~mcnt Services ~ CITY OF DUBLIN F-') PlanninoJZoning 829-4916 P.O. Box 2340 Building & Safety 829-0822 Dublin, CA 94568 En~neefinajPublic Works 829-4927 September 21, 1987 Charlie Stroud, Designer Young Electric Sign Company 6670 ;~ador Plaza Road, Suite 131 Dublin, CA 94568 Dear Mr. Stroud: This letter se~es as a fo!ow-up to the meeting at the City Offices on Wednesday, September 16, 1987, with Kobert Enea. As was indicated at that meeting, the City Pla~ming Department has made the following determinations regarding the sign submittals received from your office concerning the proposed Enea Plaza Retail Shopping Center: 1. ?ne signs proposed for "~ne Good Guys" outlet, dated received September 3, 1987, by this office, are acceptable as submitted. The signs proposed for the "Pier 1 Imports" outlet, dated received September 3, 1987, by this office, are acceptable subject to a single modification involving the Wall Sign proposed for the north building elevation. That sign's height shall be reduced from a 36" maximum letter height to a 32" maximum letter height. Faa Monument Ent~/ Signs, detailed on the plans dated received September 3, 1987, by this office, ara not acceptable as submitted. Detailed landscape plans for the areas in question (adjoining the inter- section of Dugo!in Boulevard-and ~ador Plaza Road) shall be prepared and submitted in conjunction with our review Of Entry Signs, and shall include details of the required fountain elements (as called for in Condition #42 of City Planning File PA 86-071 - see attached). If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact me at 829-4916 at your convenience. Sincerely, _, · Ke 'in J. Gal-lay Senior Planner KJG/ao Enclosures cc: File PA 86-071 Robert Enea ATTACHMENT I ! RECEIVED DUBUI'i pLANNING 7544 DUBLIN BLVD. DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA 9,4568 PHONE (415) 828-6500 CHEVROLET / ISUZU P.O. BOX 2010, DUBLIN, CA 94568 5933 COUGHERTY RD. DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA 94568 PHONE (415) 829-8600 November 25, 1987 Lawrence L. Tong Planning Director City of Dublin Development Service P.O. Box 2340 Dublin, CA 94568 RE: PA87-161/ The Good Guys/Enea Plaza Dear Mr. Tong, Crown Chevrolet opposes any sign on the Southwest Wall facing the Chevrolet Display Lot; namely, "The Good Guys" sign, and per my conversation with Kevin Daily, possibly the "Wallpapers To Go" sign also. Crown Chevrolet feels it would be detrimefftat to Crown Chevrolet Business Operation and a distraction from normal business conducted on the said lot. Granting of the application will constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with' the limitltions upon other properties in the immediate vicinity. Sincerely, Patrick Costello President Crown Chevrolet PC/jek R~CEI¥~D THE CROWN OF EXCELLENCE